Gundam Seed: The Stone of Jade
by NukeDawg
Summary: Gundam Seed AU: Follow the events of Gundam Seed from the Point of View of a, Morgenrete Engineer of the Astray project who has his own prototype Astray and joins the Archangel and her crew Warning: Non Canon Couples, besides Mwu x Murrue
1. Chapter 01: Twisted Fate

Disclaimer: 1st off, I do not own Gundam Seed, that belongs to Sunrise. 2nd: I do own Samuel Lewis, and the Machine the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame

_CE: 70, Shortly after the bloody valentine Tragedy, The tension between the PLANTs and the Earth have escalated in an all out war. Without a doubt, everyone believed in victory of the Earth Alliances vast numbers. They were wrong, eleven months have past, and now there seems to be no end in sight. And the fates of myself, and of my friends are about to become upside down. _

_Samuel Lewis _

Chapter 01: Twisted Fate

Heliopolis: January 25th CE 71: Morgenrete facility

The colony was at peace, even with a war between Naturals, and the gene altered Coordinators. However, Heliopolis holds both Natural, and Coordinator Civilians. However deep inside the Morgenrete facilities, people may have thought the colony has no touch on war, however deep inside it was a different story. As a young man wearing a Morgenrete Inc uniform, walked through a pair of large doors, for his day of work. The person had blue eyes and short silver hair, with an average build, and the height of five eleven. The lad carried a electronic clipboard under his left arm. Upon his left wrist he wore a gold watch, which he slipped off, so it would not interfere with his work, as he placed it within his locker, as he put on the red uniform of an Orb Mechanic. "Morning Samuel" a female co worker called to him, as Samuel waved back. Samuel has been a worker for Morgenrete for nearly a year now, ever since the bloody Valentine nearly a full year ago. In fact, he was apart of the work force, for the top secret Earth Forces G project.

"Hey" was all Samuel said back in a calm voice, as he finished putting on the uniform, and walking into the main viewing area, as he watched over the dormant machines that layed below the viewing area.

"Ahh, Mr Lewis, so good to see you have arrived." came an aristocrated voice from behind the Morgenrete employees.

Samuel turned around to see the newcomer who came into the room. The man wore a large purple gown, and had long brown hair, and eyes of a deep crimson color. "Lord Sahaku, its good to see you have arrived." Samuel told him giving a bow to the nobleman, as Rondo Ghina Sahaku nodded at his employee.

"Hmm, how is the Astray project coming?" Ghina asked the people in the room.

"All four Machines are ready, Jade Frame has been equipped with the Phase Shift Generator, and is ready for testing." Samuel reported to his boss, and the only person, that knew Samuel more than others did.

"Good, I do want these machines to be an even match to those petty Earth Forces machines." Rondo said with a smirk, as he looked at Samuel, with his deep crimson eyes. "Well, lets get it tested, those Earth Forces machines will be ready to move out soon, so we can focus on our own machines more now rather than those petty things they call mobile suits."

"I see, and I agree." Samuel told him. "Tell me Rondo, how is your sister doing these days?" Samuel asked him, as the two walk down the halls.

"Ah yes, Mina my darline younger sister, I have the force, she has the way of persuasiveness, she is the reason you are up here, isn't that right?" Rondo asked as Samuel nodded. "Yes, I see, I bet if she wanted to, she could get you to fight this war is that correct?" He asked.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Samuel asked him this time.

"Oh, just that well, you are pretty much her lapdog. Doing anything she asks, its as though you like her. Even with your current status, I know you are nobles blood, but that is behind you now is it not?" He asked him, as Samuel looked away ashamed.

"That is true, but you didn't answer my question sir." Samuel told him.

"Oh yes, excuse my rudeness for your question my petty friend. As far as I can tell, my persuasive sister is doing just fine. She is at the Sahaku Estate here" He replied to him, as the two continued to the Heliopolis Secret hangar.

Heliopolis Civilian Area

Upon a small little out door building, a young chest nut brown hair teen typed away on a laptop as he listened to the news of the latest events on the war. "Kira!" a males voice called from not far, as the young teen raised his head, as his amethyst eyes, met upon a pair of brunettes. "So here you are! Professor Kato was looking for you." the teen told his friend.

"Again!" Kira replied, as in reality, he was working on something for this Kato Prof already.

The girl that accompanied the young male wore a orange dress, and sleeves not connected to the rest of the dress, as her arm was hooked around the others own arm. He wore a grayish dress shirt and dark blue pants. "He said to drag you there when we found you." the girl told him. She was Miriallia Haww, and her harm hooked in her boyfriends arm, Tolle Koenig, two of Kira's closest friends. "What is it now? Does he need your help with something again?" Mir asked him. With that, Kira put his laptop computer back onto the table.

"Damn, I haven't even completed the one he gave me yesterday. . ." Kira commented as he leaned back after looking at the notepad of paper in his hand. Tolle came over, and looked at what Kira has been listening to.

"Something on the news?" Tolle asked him, as he looked over Kira's shoulder at the computer screen.

Kira nodded, as a green Mechanical bird landed on his shoulder. "Yeah, about Kaoshiung. . ." Kira told him, as the two watched the news, as a reporter told them what was going on, as in the background, was the mobile suit known as the GINN, used by the ZAFT military of the PLANTs.

"Ehh. . ." Tolle screeched as he saw what the news broadcast was. "If this is from last week, then Kaoshiung has probably already fallen. . ." Tolle commented, as Mir watched from Kira's other side.

"Hmm," Kira sighed, as he closed the laptop after turning it off.

"Isn't Kaoshiung pretty close to us?" Mir asked. "Will we be alright?" she asked a second question, when not getting an answer from the first.

"Mir, you shouldn't worry about that." Tolle told her. "Even though they're close by, we are neutral territory after all." Tolle explained to her. "There's no chance that Orb would get involved in the war." Tolle assured her.

"Really?" Mir replied, as she looked at Birdy who flew off. "Then it's okay if thats the case." she continued still with concern in her voice. Kira on the other hand, was just sitting quietly remembering a conversation he had with a friend before this war began.

"Kira?" Tolle asked, as he put his own face right infront of Kira's. With this, Kira was shocked, and fell backwards, then going to the side with surprise. "What were you doing?" Tolle asked him. However, Tolle did not wait for the answer and continued on anyways. "No matter, lets go, the prof is waiting for us." Tolle told them, as the three of them, left heading towards the transit station. Kira quickly grabbed his things, and followed his two friends. As in other areas, the Neutrality of Orb, does not seem so neutral.

Morgenrete facility:

Samuel was floating in a hangar, infront of four machines, the furthest one on the right was some kind of mobile suit, many parts of it, was white, with gold areas upon it. The next to the left, was another machine with the same design, just where the gold was on the last machine, was Red. The same with the next machine, it also had the same design, but rather than Red or Gold it was blue. Then the final machine, which was an actual dark grey, do to armor that uses electricity to reduce the damage from all forms of physical attacks. Which at the time, was deactivated, which is the Phase Shift armor. "Ah, Samuel, what is your research telling you?" a male scientist asked him.

"Seems that the PS Armor on the Jade Astray is working better than we thought, we will be able to give the other three the same armor some time soon. Probably about a few weeks after the Earth Forces get their machines into real battle." Samuel told the scientist/Mechanic. "How are the A-Packs coming along?" he asked the man.

"Seems to be alright, a total of twelve packs, three per machine have been made, and another is being constructed as well." The mechanic told him.

"Alright, that would do for my report to Lord Sahaku." Samuel informed the mechanic as he moved towards the hatch to take the report to the Lord.

Back at the Transit station, Kira, Mir, and Tolle all arrive as they look at the people that are there, and one was a particular person that Kira has had an interesting in for a long while, even though he was in a grade higher than her own. She wore a pinkish red gown, and long flowing red hair. She was speaking to two other girls, who were obviously her friends. Kira was speechless when he saw her, as most guys are to the girls they have a crush on. "Oh, Miriallia!" The girl called, as Kira knew her as Flay Allster.

"Hey!" Mir called back, as the now group of six got together. That was when one of the other two girls, grabbed around the neck of the other one.

"Hey Miriallia, you should know right?" the girl asked.

"What?" Mir asked confused what the person was talking about.

"Stop it already!" Flay pleaded with her friends.

"She got a letter from Sai Argyle!" The girl told Mir, as Kira looked at Flay.

"But she isn't telling us anything." the other girl told them. As behind Kira and the others, three people were coming, two males and a woman, as Fllay tacked her two friends.

"Thats enough you two!" Flay told the girls.

"Ahem." The woman behind them muffled to the teens. "If your not getting one, mind if we go?" the woman asked, as Tolle and Kira let her go by them.

"Sure go on ahead." Tolle told them, as Fllay looked at her friends again.

"Forget about it!" She told her friends as the three people climbed into the automatic car, which took them away from the group.

'Who were they?' Kira wondered to himself, as the vehicle vanished among their line of sight. As soon as the next car pulled up, Flay and her two friends climbed in, leaving the next one for Kira and the others.

"A letter from Sai. . ." Tolle began knowing of how Kira feels about Flay. "How surprising for Flay Allster." he mocked as Kira looked at him with surprise. "Sai sounds like a formidable enemy." Tolle told Kira slapping his hands onto Kira's shoulder. "For you Kira!" he told him, as Mir pushed Tolle over to the car, that all three were to take to the Morgenrete facility.

"Hey I don't really!" Kira called after his friend. A while later, Kira and the others arrived at the facility, as Kira swiped the card through the reader giving his identification.

"Fine Mir, if you wont ask, I will." Tolle told his girlfriend.

"Tolle, that is enough already." Kira told him, as the car was given clearance, and drove into the facility. Upon a while later, the three came into the main lobby, where they saw Samuel walking in the hall.

"Samuel!" Miriallia called as the silver haired youth turned to them.

"Hey Mir, Tolle, Kira, whats going on?" Samuel asked, as Tolle put both of his hands behind his head.

"Well, the Prof asked us to come by, so here we are." Tolle told him as Samuel nodded. The four were good friends, even though that Samuel went to the same school as they did, he was a grade higher, and had a job here at the Morgenrete facility, even though he just transfered to the school a few months ago. "Mind tell us where the professor is?" Tolle asked him.

"Oh yes! sure sure." Samuel told them, as he lead them to a simulation room, for technical studies, used by the professor. "So what is going on these days?" He asked the group.

"Not much really, besides the Prof overworking old Kira here." Tolle answered slapping Kira on the back.

"I see, well here it is, Sai and Kuzzey are already inside." Samuel informed them, as the three students went in, as Samuel nodded. "Ok, I'll most likley see you all later, got to hand over my report to the boss." Samuel told the three as he left them, Sai, Kuzzey, and another member of the party that was in the room as well.

"Ahh, so your all finally here." Said the blonde with the orange sunglasses from behind the computer monitor. Kira then noticed another person leaning against the wall.

"Who's that?" Tolle asked his blue haired friend, Kuzzey Buskirk.

"Ahh, the professor's guest." Kuzzey told him. "She was told to wait here." he informed his curious friend.

"Where's the professor?" Kira asked, wondering where the one that wanted him to be there was. As at the same time, Samuel was walking the halls towards, Lord Sahaku's office. As unknown to both of them, the princess of their homeland was somewhere in the facility. A long with several ZAFT soldiers, with one thing in mind, to steal the new Earth Forces prototype mobile suits.

Sai held up a disc towards Kira, "I believe he was keeping this for you Kira, I think." Sai told Kira as he handed it to the teen.

"What is this?" Kira asked him.

"It's probably the work that he has for you." Sai answered him.

"What is with all this non interesting work he gives me, 'Improvement on the frame-set module.'" Kira told them, what the disc said on its cover. "Well, time to get back to this program analysis." Kira told them, as they all got to work. Tolle first however, came up to Kira and placed him in a cross face chicken wing.

"Let's hear about the letter first!" Tolle told them, as Sai got a surprised look upon his face.

"Letter?" Sai wondered.

"It's nothing!" Kira managed to get out from Tolles grip.

"As if!" Tolle mentioned, lifting Kira off of his feet.

"What is it?" Sai asked as the two teens continued on.

"It's nothing, Nothing!" Kira called out.

"What is it Tolle! Just tell Me!" Sai told them, as the visitor began to move, trying to go through some door she had her eyes on.

"Stop it Already!" Miriallia ordered the three of them.

"Stop it, you're chocking me Tolle!" Kira muffled.

As out in the halls, Samuel continued on track to the Lord's office, as the entire facility became busy. "Hey whats going on?" Samuel asked a passing mechanic.

"ZAFT ships detected, they have launched mobile suits!" The person called as Samuel looked at him, with a wide eyed expression.

"Hurry, get the Lord to safety, I'll go close off the Mobile suit Hangar to everyone, and set the self destruction of the Astrays." Samuel told him as he went for the hangar, in a full run. That was when it all began, as the ground began to shake from the tremors caused by interior explosions. Causing Samuel to stumble over his feet as he ran. Everyone in the Morgenrete facility felt the tremors as equipment fell from their positions, as several of the Civilians and workers began to feel the problems. Do to all this events, the colony went to alert, telling all civilians to head for the nearest shelter. Sai, began to lead his friends out of the area,

"What's happening?" Sai asked the first person he met as they were all heading down the stairs.

"Who knows!" someone called, "Were being attacked by ZAFT!" Someone else called. "Mobile suits have even entered the colony!" "You should hurry to!" some else told them, as the blonde visitor looked around, trying to find another path, for what she had in mind.

She took off, and Kira noticed this. "Hey wait!" Kira called, as he chased after her.

"Kira!" Tolle called.

"I'll be right back!" Kira called back. As in the Astray hangar, Samuel was beginning the self destructing program, then got an alert where he then saw the Gold Frame grab a large bazooka designed for the GAT-X102 Duel.

"What? Whos in that?" Samuel wondered, as he wen running towards the Jade Astray, opening the hatch and then hopping into the cockpit of the machine, and closed the hatch, however the Gold Frame, took aim and fired destroying the hangars wall, leading the area to the endless vacuum, as its right arm was damaged beyond repair from the blast. Samuel activated the monitors, as the Vacuum sucked the air from the hangar, with both the Red, and Blue Frames, held withing large cases, of a strong metal. "Gold Frame whats going on?" Samuel called, as no answer came from the mobile suit, when it ripped out and discarded the faulty right arm, and took the Bazooka instead and took off with it out of the colony. Samuel looked upon the OS of the machine he was in, and began to reprogram it to fit with his style. "Alright, this should do it, now let see if this will work." He wondered, as the Jade Astray began to move towards the hole, as he also grabbed an empty cargo case, that was the size of the hole, and plugged it into the gaping gap. "Alright, now to minimize the beam in the rifle." Samuel told himself worked on the program, to allow the beam rifle to fire a concentrated beam, as though it was a blowtorch as he began to meld the metals together.

Further into the facility, Kira finally caught up with the straggler. "What are you doing?" Kira asked her, as he turned her around to look at him.

"Why did you follow me?" She asked him. "You should hurry up, and return to the others." She ordered him. Just then, a explosion happened behind the two, leaving no where to turn back to. It also caused the unknown person to Kira to lose her hat, letting him see the golden blonde hair.

"A. . . Girl?" Kira wondered, as though it was his first time seeing one.

"What do you think I was?" She asked him. With that another explosion happened behind them. "Forget it, just go!" she told him. "There is something I must know." She told him, continuing on the path she was heading.

"Where, I can't go back anymore." he told her. He grabbed her wrist and began to pull her towards the direction she was heading. "Come on lets go." He told her, as he dragged her behind him.

"Let me go, you idiot!" She told him.

"Come on, at the Factory there should still be a shelter." and with that, a few seconds later, they emerged at a catwalk, looking down upon a gun fight, as machine gun fire could be heard throughout the area. And they saw what they were fighting over, two mobile suits, both dark grey in color. "this is?" Kira wondered as he saw the fighting going on.

"Just as I thought." The woman said putting her head on the railing and going to her knees. "The Earth Alliances new mobile weapons. "Father you betrayed us all!" she yelled, causing a female soldier below to fire upon them, but Kira got them out of the line of fire.

"It's no use crying right now!" Kira told her, as the two ran for the closest shelter. "So just run!" he told her. With that, Kira got to the shelter he spoke of. "See, there are people taking shelter here." Kira told her.

_"There's still someone out there?_" a voice asked from the intercom.

"Yes there are two of us, please open the door." Kira told them.

"_two?"_ the reply asked.

"Yes!" kira answered.

"_We're already full. . . Shelter 37 is in the left block. . . can you get there?_" The person asked.

Kira looked at the destruction in the direction of the shelter mentioned. "Then at least take the girl thats with me!" Kira told him.

"_Yes of course, we can still fit one of you._" The person replied as the shelter door opened.

"Get in." Kira told her as he shoved her inside the door, as she resisted to go in.

"No I," she began.

"Just get in!" Kira commanded her. "I'll get to the next one." He told her. "It'll be ok!" Kira told her, as he shoved her in, and closed the door before she could react. With the girl gone, Kira went for the next shelter, as the gunfire below continued.

The woman down there ordered everyone that was down there. "Hamada, Bryan, activate them hurry!" she called. As a soldier up where Kira and the girl once were took aim.

"Look out behind you!" Kira called, as the one that had her targeted miss, as the woman turned around, and shot the soldier herself. After that, her clip of ammo went empty.

"Come on!" she called to the teen.

"I'll head for the shelter in the left block!" Kira called to her. "Don't worry about me!" he answered.

"The only thing left there is the door itself!" she told him, as she opened fire with a pistol at the ZAFT soldiers. Kira then catapulted himself, landing on one of the two mobile suits. That was when one of her comrades was killed for killing another. "Hamada!" she called firing at her comrades killer. However, the ZAFT soldier turned and fired at her, piercing her arm, but luckily, the gun Jammed so it could not finish the job. With that, Kira rushed to the woman to give her air from the wound. However, the red clad soldier came running at them, with an army knife ready to kill anyone in his way.

Kira looked at the soldier coming his way, and saw the face of his attacker. "Athrun" was all Kira could say, as the soldier stopped infront of them.

"K. . .Kira" was the reply from the soldier. The woman raised her wounded arm, and fired upon the soldier, who left them, and went for the other machine. She then pushed Kira into the cockpit of the machine they were on, and jumped in herself, sealing the cockpit behind her. As the mobile suit Kira was in the woman started it up, as the word GUNDAM came up, and split itself into an Acronym known as **G**eneral **U**nilateral **N**euro - Link **D**ispersive **A**utonomic **M**aneuver. With that, the mobile suit known as the GAT-X105 Strike began to raise from its sleeping area, as the entire facility began to go into a blaze. Samuel in the Astray Hangar, activated the Astrays' h Phase shift armor protecting the machine and him, from the searing heat as the Hangars doors exploded..

"Damn, the facility is self destructing!." Samuel yelled, as he targeted the beam rifle to the ceiling, after he change it back to its default settings. After a hole was created, he boosted the thrusters getting him out before the whole place went.

Outside the facility, the civilians of the colony were running for their lives to shelters near by. As the facility detonated, with the gray variations of both the GAT-X303 Aegis, and the GAT-X105 Strike emerge from the explosion. When the strike landed, it's walk was staggering, as though it was a newborn child trying to walk its first time. As on the inside, Kira looked at the monitors seeing what exactly was the enemy, as he saw a standard ZAFT Ginn, and the Aegis, obviously contemplating with what the plan was, and the failed ZAFT soldiers attempt to steal the Strike. He was then shocked, as he could see Mir, Tolle, Sai, and Kuzzey all running from the battle. 'Damn, they haven't gotten to the shelter yet!" Kira called in his mind. The GINN took two single shots, causing the Strike to lose its non perfect balance it already had. The GINN then put its machine gun on its back, and drew a long sword. With that, the GINN came running towards the Strike, with its destruction in mind. The woman Earth Forces officer managed to have the Strike dodge the attack in time, but who knows if lady luck would be on their side the next time. Kira fell onto the woman, as she tried to keep the Strike on its feet.

"Get up, unless you want to die!" She yelled at him.

"I'm sorry!" Kira replied to her, as he tried to get back up. That was when they both saw the GINN charging right at them, with slicing the Strike in half in its mind. However, the Earth Forces woman, hit a button, causing the Strike to go from its dull gray, to white, blue, and red as the forearms blocked the incoming sword attack. "This mobile suit!" Kira said surprised, as the woman screamed in pain from the wound she suffered earlier. With that the GINN flew away, as the Aegis changed colors as well, and blew away two missiles heading its way, with the Igelstelungs. After Destroying an artillery truck, the red machine flew away. While the GINN charged the strike again, as the Strike fired its own igelstelungs, which missed the GINN completely. The GINN hit the strike with a horizontal slash, knocking it off balance. Which had it smashed into a nearby building. And with that Kira saw his friends near by, and if they didn't do something, the Strike could fall on top of them.

However, before the heavy sword of the GINN could connect, a beam shot fired from the distance, melting away the sabre of the GINN's. "What the?" the woman asked, as they saw the origin of the shot. They saw a mobile suit much like the Strikes, however, in its hand was a beam rifle, and on its upper part of the Forearms were two handles of the beam sabres. "Thats not one of ours" she told herself as Kira took the state of confusion to get his friends out of danger completely. He hit a button allowing the Strike to go under, and ram into the GINN. With that the unknown machine landed in between the Strike and the GINN.

Inside the newcomer, Samuel was at its controls, as he opened fire with his Igelstelungs at the fallen GINN which kicked in its thrusters to get out of the way. "These bastards wont destroy my home without a fight." Samuel told himself, as the machine was at its full power, and weapons at the ready.

Inside the Strike, Kira got Murrue to move, as he began to recalibrate the Strikes Operating system. "With this OS, I'm surprised this machine can even move!" Kira shouted.

"Its only in its testing phase!" Murrue called back, as she was now to Kira's left, as he was in the pilots seat. Kira brought down the keyboard, and began to write the OS himself, with incredible speed. As the jade machine dodged an attack from the stubbed sword, Giving Kira the precious time to write the OS.

"Starting the calibration, reconfiguring the 0-Moment Controls and CPG, Connect the machines vision control to the aiming module, neural linkage network will be optimized, Retrieving results from the Meta movement parameters, Field forward control restarted, Commands Inputted. Deviations corrected, movement routines connected, System online, Movement strut activated." With that, the GINN dodged the green machine, and opened fire on the Strike thinking to take the weaker one out first. The shots caused minor damage to the armor, and knocked the two people in the cockpit around. With that, both machines took to the air, as Samuel watched the GINN fire at the strike.

"By the looks of this, the pilot of the Strike seems to have gotten better somehow." Samuel told himself, however he made his machine place the beam rifle on the small of his machines back, and drew the two beam sabres from the machines forearms, as frozen pillars of light ignited. Just incase the Strike required some help.

Kira now however was searching his machines systems for what weapons it had to defend himself. "Armor Schneider, is that all there is!" He called out. As with that, the hip compartments of the machine ejected two knives as the Strike charged towards the GINN. With this change in the Strike, the GINN opened fire which the Strike dodged the attacks, and implanted the two knives into the GINN disabling it. Samuel noticed the pilot escaping the machine, as he looked worried.

"_Strike move now!_" Samuel called to the last Earth Forces machine.

"This is bad, do as the pilot says!" The woman told Kira as it was to late, as the GINN self destructed right infront of them, knocking both of the Strikes Occupants were knocked unconscious as it fell to the ground.

Samuel quickly went over to it, putting away his machines weapons, as he looked around for any medical help. Upon moments he saw Sai and the others. "_Sai, Mir, Tolle, Kuzzey_!" Samuel called to them, as his machine powered down beside the Strike. With that the cockpit opened. "Come on you four!" he called to them, as the four teens looked at each other and ran over.

"Samuel whats going on?" Tolle asked, as Samuel climbed onto the Strike, and manually opened the cockpit of the Strike.

"Doesn't matter right now, these two might need Medical attention!" He called to them. With that, he looked into the cockpit, as his face turned from concern to shock. "No way Kira!" He called, placing his feet to where Kira once was before he took the controls.

"Kira?" Mir wondered, as Sai and Tolle climbed up on the Strike.

"Kuzzey, go find a working vehicle, Mir find something that can help us patch these two up!" Sai called, as the two did as they were told, with Samuel, passed the two teens Kira's unconscious form, and then passed up the woman.

"We need to get these two somewhere safe." Tolle told them, as Samuel climbed out of the Strike.

"Sound plan." Samuel told him, looking at the Astray Jade Frame.

"Just what the heck is going on here?" Tolle asked the silver haired youth.

"ZAFT attacked what else, these machines however, are top secret stuff, can I trust all of you to this secret?" Samuel asked them as they nodded. "Don't even tell the Earth Officer this, but that machine there." he told them as he pointed at the machine he was piloting. "That is an ORB prototype, for its right of self defence, the machine were on now, is an Earth Forces machine." Samuel told them. "The rest I will tell you in time." He told them, as Kuzzey arrived.

A while later, The Strike was kneeled down inside some sort of park, as Samuel was in his machine keeping an eye out for any enemy, with his machines phase shift armor non active to save energy, as it held the Armor Schneider in its hands. On the ground, Kira had already come to, as the Earth Forces officer began to come to as well. "You woke up!" Mir called, telling everyone what had just happened. "Kira!" Mir called.

Kira came over as the woman tried to move. "You'd better not move yet." He told her. She looked at him, remembering him from the battle a short while ago. "I'm sorry for doing something irresponsible" Kira told her, as Mir came with a cup of water in her hand.

"Would you like some water?" She asked her.

"Thank you." the woman told her, as Kira, and Mir helped her drink the water.

"Wow this machine is amazing!" came Tolles voice.

"Can you move it or not?" Kuzzey asked.

"Hey, don't be playing around with that thing!" Sai called up to the two teens, as though they were young children playing with a new toy.

"Why did these things become gray again?" Tolle wondered, as the woman saw the Astray.

"Main power is off or something." Kuzzey answered.

"Get away from that!" the woman yelled, as she grabbed her hand gun, firing in a spot that was close to both teens heads that were on the machine.

"What're you doing?" Kira asked her, as she stood up, aiming at the teens. "They were the ones that brought us here!" Kira told her. "They are the ones that brought our unconscious forms to this area." Kira pleaded with her. She then aimed the weapon at Kira's face.

"I appreciate the fact that you all saved me, now tell me, who is in that mobile suit." She called pointing at the Jade machine.

"Lieutenant Ramius, there is no need for this." Samuel called, as the cockpits hatch began to open he lowered from the machine as it reverted back to its dark gray state.

"You, what the hell, and where the hell did you get that machine?" Murrue asked him, as he shrugged.

"As the GAT series is a secret, so is this machine, and with the way you are, you don't want that secret out, and I don't want this one." Samuel told her.

"Fine, but these civilians, they have fallen upon, a top secret weapon of the Earth Alliance military!" Murrue told them, as Samuel nodded, however stood by his machine. "Its not something civilians are allowed to meddle with." Ramius told them.

"What? Wasn't it Kira who piloted it just now?" Tolle asked, as the Gun was pointed at them once again.

"Everyone, even you Samuel, over there." She ordered, calling the shots because of the weapon in her hand. "All of you, your names now." Murrue told them.

"Kuzzey Buskirk"

"Tolle Koenig"

"Sai Argyle"

"Miriallia Haww"

"Kira Yamato"

"Samuel Lewis." Each one of them stated.

"I am Murrue Ramius, I'm a commissioned officer of the Earth Alliance Army, " She told them, as Samuel smirked at her. "What are you smiling about?" she asked him.

"Not much, as you can see, you have also seen Top Secret data for Morgenrete." Samuel told her, as he upholstered his own pistol. "So it seems to be a little predicament for you, however I don't think it matters to any one of us anymore." He told her, holding his gun on an injured woman.

"Indeed regardless of what we do right now, we have been exposed to military secrets, and for these civilians, they must stay with me until I can contact the appropriate authorities to decide your arrangements, they will have to stay with me." Murrue told Samuel, who nodded.

"As I must accompany you to make sure this one stays secret." Samuel told her, holstering his weapon.

"What, but we are neutral! we have nothing to do with any army and such!" Sai told them, as Samuel looked at him.

"I'm sorry, but not any longer" Samuel commented. "Orb may still be Neutral, but there is no doubt, that ZAFT thinks Heliopolis is Neutral any longer." He told them, walking toward the Astray. "I'll be back later, I have a place to check out." He told everyone with a wave, leaving the civilians dumbfounded. "Lieutenant, I trust you can fill them in on the situation." He told her, snatching the Zip line and into the cockpit of the Jade Frame, as it took off towards the north.

"What the heck is he talking about?" Kuzzey asked.

"We're only being attack because the Earth Alliance is here, thats the reason why all this started!" Tolle called out, as Murrue fired a few shots into the air, to get the arguing teens attention. She then aimed the gun upon the group.

"Be Quiet!" She ordered them. "Like Mr. Lewis said, you have no Idea. However, saying it doesn't concern you because your neutral." She began, as Tolle place Mir behind him, as though protecting her. You are foolish to be thinking like that." She told them. "ZAFT have somehow discovered our secret here, and attacked, that is all there is to it. And this secret, is something you all have seen. This is your reality now." She informed the group of teens.

"This is unbelievable." Sai commented.

"Unbelievable? Well now its time for you to believe it. We're at war!" She announced to them. However, the Jade Astray in its gray form landed in the courtyard of the Sahaku Estate. He walked into the halls, as Murrue continued to speak, as Samuel searched the estate, worried for his friend. "A war between the PLANTs and the Earth, Coordinator, and Natural. The world outside of your little worlds." She told them. "Now you Kira was it?" She began putting her gun away looking at Kira.

"Uh, yeah."

"Get in the Strike and see if you can contact any Earth Forces in the area." Murrue told him, as Kira just shrugged his shoulders and did what she asked. While at the same time, Samuel walked in the halls of the Sahaku Estate.

"Damn, I hope everyone got to the shelter in time." he told himself, finding a picture framed on an end table. It was a sky view of Onogoro Island at Orb. "Well, no one seems to be above ground now, and no damage has been done to the house, so. . . theres nothing for me here." He told himself, leaving the building back to the machine. When he was back in the cockpit, he typed in a certain series of commands. "Lets see, this machine was designed with a bunch of packs, let see if any survived." He wondered, as the thrusters of the machine was hit, taking him towards what was left of the facility.

However, during this time, Kira has been siting in the Strike, trying to get a hold of anyone. "Any Earth Forces in the Area, this is the GAT-X105 Strike, please respond." Kira radioed. "Any Earth Forces in the area, please respond!" At the same time, Sai drove up, in a military truck, with a really long trailer. Kira returned to his current boss, as Sai did as well.

"You wanted me to get the truck marked number five right?" Sai asked Murrue, as she nodded at him.

"Yes it is, thank you." She answered.

"And, what do we do now?" Sai asked her.

"Connect the Striker pack to the Strike, then Kira." She began turning towards Kira. "Try the communications again." she told him.

"Alright." Kira told her, as he then saw the Jade Astray flying by, towards the facility.

"I wonder where he is heading now? Theres nothing left of the facility, unless hes going to get another one of those secrets." Murrue commented, as she watched the mobile suit heading that way, with a Beam rifle still in hand. As with Samuel, he landed his machine, as he used it to search for something, and he found one.

"Hmm, crate 2, that would be, the subeta." He told himself, as he got all three of the packs that were around the machine. "Binsoku Pack, Isei pack, Subeta pack, good they are all here, all pack resembling the Strikes own packs." He told himself, as he set up the trailers in one spot, and sat the Jade Astray in position. Once he was out of his machine, he got to a control panel beside the mobile suit. "Ok, the code was?" he asked himself. "DAMN IT WHAT WAS THE CODE!" he yelled. Samuel banged on the crate for a short while then he remembered a certain set of words. With that, he typed the three words into it. The words _Ame-no-Mihashira_ onto the keypad, as the system began to activate. "Good old Rondo, predictable as usual." he told himself as he got the system set up, as it began. The truck opened up, as a large green back pack, connected to the back of the Astray unit. "Good done." And with that, an explosion could be heard in the sky. "What now?" he asked turning to see what has just transpired. "What a TS-MA2mod.00 Mobieus Zero and a ZGMF-515 CGUE, shit this isn't good." He told himself, as he went and got into the cockpit of his machine. As at the site where Kira and the Others were, the Launcher Striker Pack was equipped to the Strike.

Inside the CGUE, a masked blonde haired ZAFT commander came in after slicing the Linear Cannon, of the Zero unit. "Oh no you do not!" Samuel called through the ZAFT frequencies.

"What?" The blonde Commander, Rau le Creuset wondered, as the mobile suit stopped its attack. "This machine wasn't in the data." he told himself. The Jade machine fired its beam rifle many times, as extra thrusters provided from the back pack thrusted the machine to its new enemy. As the Jade Astray got closer and closer, it was stopped, by another shockwave of a large explosion.

"What is it now?" Samuel wondered, as his machine flew in the air, as the giant, red and white ship with two things on its bow that looked like legs. "No way, it can not be! The Earth Forces ship the Archangel!" Samuel called seeing the ship of massive power. As the three Mobile suits in the area, looked at the ship in utter amazement.

A/N: Well, the story has begun, and this will be following the Point of Views of both Kira and Samuel, both getting equal staging, infact Kira will actually have more later on. What secrets does this Samuel have, and what is his connection to the Sahaku Family. Only time will tell.

Flames, and normal Reviews are welcome, so please review, and tell me what you think of this story. And if its something like someone elses, well I had no Idea I did that so please forgive me. Lol, however please read and review letting me know what yeahs think.


	2. Chapter 02: Archangel Spread those wing

Disclaimer: Why do I have to keep saying this, Gundam Seed is not mine. However Samuel Lewis, and the Astray Jade Frame do indeed belong to me.

Everyone who reviews last chapter, thank you, and my other readers, please tell me what you have to say.

Chapter 02: Archangel Spread those wings

Archangel Bridge:

Five members of the Earth Forces sat within the bridge of the Archangel class space battle ship Archangel. Two upon the helm, the Captains seat in the middle, and two more behind the captains seat. "We have left the port area. Entering the Colonies interior." Arnold Neumann informed the bridge, as he monitored everything at the helm.

"Morgenrete has been lost, damage is to much, The Strike is active, and is in combat along with a CGUE, and an unknown machine." Jackie Tonomura acquainted everyone with the current situation. "Both the unknown and the Strike are engaged with the CGUE!" That was when the CGUE took the turn of events to go for the new ship itself. The Astray then took off after the ZAFT machine to protect the ship.

The Captain took the aggressive move from the CGUE, and got the Evasive maneuvers barked out. "Evasive Maneuvers, Hard to Port!" Natarle Badgiruel. The Monstrous Ship dodged the attack from the CGUE, as the Astray drew one beam sabre and went for the CGUE. Rau easily dodged the swings from the Astray. It drew its heavy assault sword, and slammed it into the back of the Mobile suit, hoping the sword would go through. However the Astray was saved from its Phase Shift, knocking it to and towards the ground below.

"Damn!" Samuel called as he fell crashing into the ground. "Ouch, that hurt." He told himself, trying to get the machine to move again, or at least stand. Rau Le Creuset however went after the Strike.

"Hmm, not destroyed, does this earth forces machine have the same armor?" Rau asked himself. "Well lets see if it does." He told himself going in for the attack on it. As down on the ground, Murrue got the Civilians to take cover. Kira saw the barrage of bullets from the machine going towards his friends, however, he put the protected leg of the Strike in the path of gun shots. Then took a few more hits to the Strike in the torso. "Damn, not even reinforced ABSV bullets can penetrate it." Rau cursed. However the Archangel behind him began to arm its missile tubes, because its other weaponry is to dangerous to use inside the colony itself. With that, Rau took evasive maneuvers as four missiles from the ship came upon him. Then he showed why he was a ZAFT ace, Rau fired destroying two of the missiles while the other two collided with the Colonys support shaft.

Kira saw the damage in the sky, "What you got to be kidding me, he took Samuel out already, and caused that ship to deal damage to the colony." Kira told himself, as he had enough, and activated the Launcher pack that was equipped to his machine. Having the 320 mm cannon called the Agni locked into a different position under his machines left arm.

Samuel was now having his machine stand getting ready to go after the CGUE, but detected the energy build up in the Hyper Impusle Cannon of the Strikes. "Kira Don't! That's. . .!" Samuel tried, as an orange beam of energy ignited the air infront of the cannon, going right for the machine piloted by Rau.

Rau saw this, however he only got out of the way enough only to lose his gun, and right arm of the machine. The beam continued onwards however, blowing a hole in the wall, leading to the exterior of the colony. Samuel was amazed to see such power, however Kira was shocked to see what he had just done to the colony, his own home. Samuel did think of this as well, and knew it was a mistake, because Kira did not know how powerful the cannon was. However, the threat of Rau vanished as the machine retreated out of the gaping hole. And with that, Samuel began to power down his machine, as it went from white and Jade to its dull gray state.

A while later, both the Strike, and the Astray after being given the ok as a friendly have landed within the hangar of the Archangel, along with the Mobius Zero that was fighting the CGUE before the Strike and Frame fought it. Once done, the one that was in command of the ship, and various other personnel came running towards Ramius, as the Astray went out, to gather the packs it could use and salvage. "Murrue Ramius!" Natarles voice called out barely noticable over the thrusters of the Astray.

"Ensign Badgiruel!" Murrue said surprised seeing the group of people heading to her and the Civilians.

Natarle gave a salute to miss Ramius. "Thank goodness you are alright." Natarle said with relief in her voice.

Murrue returned the salute. "You as well, and its good to see the Archangel is in one piece." Murrue told her. "We were saved thanks to you." Murrue told her, as the Jade Frame in its gray state landed in the hangar with a large crate in its arms.

"What is this machine, I don't remember it in the Plans?" Natarle wonderd.

"To be honest, I have no Idea, all I know is that it came in and defended the Strike, and us." Murrue answered her, as the Astray took off once again to get the last pack it found earlier. However, as the Astray left, Kira finally began to leave the strike, and given to Natarle's surprise, it was just a young teenager.

From behind them, the head mechancic of the Archangel Kojiro Murdoch, but called mainly by his last name. "Hey whats going on here, he's just a kid!" he called out. "Are you telling me, he was the one piloting that thing?" Murdoch asked.

"Lieutenant Ramius, what is the. . .?" Natarle began to ask, as Kira was surrounded by his friends. While the Astray finally landed in the hangar with its last crate in hand. Murrue however did not know how to answer any of their questions that sounded believable to military forces.

"Well well, that is a surprise." Came a voice of a dirty blonde haired man, wearing a purple, black, and white flight suit. "Oh excuse me for my rudeness, Earth Forces 7th Mobile Fleet Lieutenant Mwu La Flaga." The pilot told them, as Samuel began to descend to the ground where everyone were gathered. "Pleased to meet you." he told them with a salute.

"Interesting batch of people we have here." Samuel told them, looking at the assembled people. "Well, as Introductions are going around, I am Samuel Lewis, Morgenrete Engineer." Samuel told the group.

"Morgenrete?" some of the others asked.

"Just where did you get this machine?" Natarle asked him.

"Sorry top secret, Unless told by my surperiors, I can't give out that kind of information." Samuel told her, looking over the military woman. "Well anyways, I amEnsign Natarle Badgiruel of the 2nd space division, 5th special training Unit.

Murrue gave a salute to the fellow lieutenant. "From the same unit Lieutenant Murrue Ramius "

Mwu nodded, "I see, and I'd like to request permission to come aboard this ship." Mwu told them. "So, who is the one in charge here?" He asked everyone.

Natarle looked at him with grief, as Samuel acknowledged what she was saying from her facial expression. "The Captain and the other officers of this ship were killed in the last battle." She told everyone, giving the newcomers a bit of surprise. "Otherwise, I believe Lieutenant Ramius has that position now." she confirmed. "The only ones who survived were officers who happened to be onboard along with a few others." she informed each of the members in the area. "I'm however lucky enough to have survived while in the shaft." She continued as Samuel was taking this in.

"The Captain is. . ." Murrue began to speak still in shock.

"My my, what a predicament." Mwu commented from the situation.

"I agree Flaga, this is an interesting predicament we have. Command is questionable here, and ZAFT is most likley still outside the colony." Samuel informed them.

"Yeah your right Mr. Lewis, and please just call me Mwu, your not part of the military so no need for titles." Mwu told him. "Anyway, Lieutenant Ramius, would you please grant me permission?" Mwu asked her. "The ship I was stationed on was shot down." he told her.

Murrue still filled with surprise for being the new captain of the ship. "Uh, sure. Permission granted." she told him.

"And as well Miss Ramius, I have nowhere else to go, and I can give you a hand in battles as well." Samuel told her. "So I wish for permission to stay aboard." He told her. "I can give the mechanics some pointers for the Mobile suit Maintenance." Samuel told her.

"I think that be a good Idea." Murdoch told them. "Some of these grease monkeys I work with are a little wet behind the ears when it comes to mobile suit maintenance." Murdoch informed them all.

"Right, Samuel, permission granted." Murrue told him, as Mwu looked at Samuel.

"How do you know of Mobile suits so well? And a pilot of one no less, are you a coordinator?" Mwu asked him, while everyone began to ask questions amongst eachother however Samuel stopped the questions by shaking his head no.

"No, not at all Mwu, I just have a way with machines is all." Samuel told him.

"I see, well I hope you know some on mobile armors as well, mine sorta was damaged in that last battle." Mwu told him placing his hand on the younger mans shoulder. "Now what about these other people." Mwu wondered asking Samuel, and whoever could hear him, as he was looking over to where Kira and his friends were.

"As you can see." Murrue began. "They are Civilians, for some reason, the one in the middle was in the factory's vicinity when the place came under attack. So I let him into the G-Weapon." She explained.

Samuel crossed his arms peering over to the others. "His name is Kira Yamato." he told them.

"I see." Mwu commented.

"And thanks to him as well as Samuel, we were able to fight off a GINN, and protect the machine." Murrue informed him.

"He fought off a GINN?" Natarle wondered.

"I see, I'm here because I was escorting the pilots for the machines, However they are now. . .?" he wondered on their conditions.

"I'm sorry, but because of the explosion, when they were greeting the captain on their arrival in the command booth." Natarle began to explain to them.

"I see." Mwu answered her, as Samuel nodded taking in what information he wanted during all of this. That was when the officers, and even Samuel walked towards Kira and the others. Samuel wondering what exactly Mwu was about to get at.

"What is it?" Kira asked.

"How about you, are you a coordinator?" Mwu asked him. With this, the crew began asking questions again, like they did when Samuel was asked the same question.

"Yes." Kira answered, as a bunch of soldiers armed with guns took aim at Kira, however Tolle put his body between the guns and his friend. Samuel eyed the soldiers as well, as he knew this would of happened, however learning this news about Kira did give him some questions. However Kira was his friend, and no matter what his friend had done to their genes or not, he would defend them.

"Lower your weapons." Murrue told them.

Natarle looked at her in puzzlement. "Lieutenant, what's going on?"

She shrugged. "It makes sense, when you think about it. Heliopolis is neutral, so it stands to reason some Coordinators would take refuge here to stay out of the war." Murrue looked at Kira. "Am I wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, you're right. Especially since I'm a _first_-generation Coordinator."

"Which means, of course, that your parents are Naturals." Mwu shrugged apologetically. "Sorry about that, didn't mean to cause a fuss; I was just curious." He apologized. "I've watched quite a few simulations performed by the actual pilots." He told them. "However, the were having incredible difficulty doing simple movements. However, thats not whats going on now." He told them leaving.

"Lieutenant, where are you going?" Natarle asked.

"Where?" Mwu repeated. "To the bridge to plan, as Samuel said earlier, the Creuset Team are still outside."

'Creuset!' Samuel yelled in his mind. "Is he here?" asked almost to himself.

"Who?" Mir asked.

"No one for you to worry yourself over Mir." Samuel answered.

"So what do we do now?" Natarle wondered.

A while has passed, Kira and the other civilians went to the crew quarters, however Samuel stayed in the hangar, helping them with a somewhat beat up Astray. "So this is called the Astray Jade Frame?" Murdoch wondered.

"Yeah, my machine now as no pilot was assigned to it." Samuel told him. "As far as I am concerned, I can trust you and your people for maintance on the main body, however, all internal systems I must repair myself." Samuel told him.

"I see, however, its good for now that the only machine we should fix is the Lieutenants Mobius unit." Murdoch told him.

"Yeah, however this is my first time seeing a Mobius Zero, I thought they were all destroyed at Endymion." Samuel commented.

"Thats true, however the Hawk of Endymion survived, and given the title I just spoke of." Murdoch told him.

"Wow, nice." Samuel commented as he looked upon the Strike. "However, its amazing what the Earth Forces are capable of with this." He said as he could see the Strike in its position, as the Astray was in the area that the Duel would of been located. "So how are the packs, are they now locked into the Port Catapult to be added onto the machine when needed?" Samuel asked.

"Yeah, we got each of those backpacks and weaponry set up, the Beamrifle however, and a shield we just gave it, are to stay with the machine correct?" Murdoch asked him.

"Yes, that is fine, I need some kind of back up weapon to use, just incase." Samuel told him.

"Of course, understandable." Murdoch commented. Various Trucks were coming in, which were filled with what supplies, and Striker Packs they did have. However Samuel brought all that he could bring. "Come on you bunch of slackers, lets get on the Zero! Thats our top priority now! You to Samuel we might be able to teach you some things on it." he told him, as Samuel nodded and went to help out with the Mobile Armors repairs.

Up in the crew quarters, Kira was fast asleep on one of the bunks, as the others were down below talking about current events. "It's amazing that he can sleep in a situation like this. . ." Kuzzey commented.

"Hes tired, a lot of things have happened to him." Miriallia answered.

"What about Samuel, he actually did some more fighting than Kira did in that other machine." Kuzzey told them.

"That is true, and he even knew of the Strike, what exactly is he up to around here?" Sai wondered.

"Things have been really hard, and that is true but. . ." Kuzzey began.

"What are you trying to say Kuzzey?" Sai asked his friend.

"Nothing really, I'm just wondering what is going on, Kira said that he rewrote the OS for that thing right?" Kuzzey asked them. "The question is how and when?" he wondered. "I don't think Kira would of known anything about the machine at the time, so when did he have time to do it?" He continued to wonder, as the rest of everyone were wondering the same thing. "I knew Kira was a Coordinator, one of those that were born with their genes modified, for them, All of ZAFT is like that." he commented. "Do you all truly think the Earth Forces can win a war against people like that?" he asked.

"Don't know, but Samuel is almost like Kira, however he is a Natural." Tolle pointed out. "He came out of nowhere and helped Kira out in the battles that just happened."

"Yeah, just how exactly is he like this, lots of practice?" Mir wondered. "And what exactly do we know about him, he's tutored us a bit, and works at the factory." she told the group.

"True, perhaps later we could sit down and talk to him, when we are not in the heat of battle." Tolle told them, as the other teens nodded in agreement. As they spoke of him, Samuel was helping with one of the Mobius Gunbarrels by checking the Mobius systems if the gunbarrel could register with the machine.

"Wow, the Mobius Zero core sure had some interesting tweaks on their machines." Samuel commented.

"Your telling me, that entire Core was special, but La Flaga even more than the others as he survived." Murdoch commented about it.

"Well anyways, the Earth Forces really did a good number on these machines, just plainly amazing!" He told them, as Murdoch nodded. "I will say this, if it wasn't for the phase shift armor of the Jade Frame, I know for sure I would not stand a chance against Mwu, but thanks to it, I may have a chance against him." he told them with a smirk.

"I'll want a piece of that bet!" another mechanic called out, as he landed on the top of the machine.

"You know what Samuel, you bring this hangar much more cheer." Murdoch told him, as he smirked at that.

"Only when I feel like it, which is the strange thing, I don't feel like it." Samuel told him, coming out of the cockpit of the machine. While infront and below him, a group of mechanics were repairing the Lunar cannon.

Archangel Cooridors

"What do you want?" Kira asked of Murrue, eyes wary. Now that the immediate life-or-death situation had passed, he wasn't quite as willing to cooperate.

She sighed inwardly. _I was afraid of this. He has a pretty good idea of what I'm going to say... and he's already made up his mind. Still, I have to try._

"Look, Kira," Murrue began. "I can't let anyone of you off the ship now; not only have you been exposed to military secrets, but now there's also nowhere to let you go _to."_

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Kuzzey demanded.

The lieutenant didn't have to answer; Sai did it for her. "They must have locked down the shelters," he said glumly. "Makes sense, after that last attack."

"So what do you want Kira for?" Tolle asked.

Murrue closed her eyes for a moment. "Kira, I hate to ask this of you, but I'm afraid you're the only person we have who can pilot the Strike-"

"You've got Lieutenant La Flaga," Kira interrupted.

"I'm sorry Kira, but with the OS you designed he wont be able to pilot the machine. And before you say we got Samuel, he has his own machine." Murrue answered him.

"_Captain Ramius, bridge to Captain Ramius!_" Natarle called out. Murrue went to the closest communications pannel.

"Whats wrong?" She asked.

Mwu then came onto the communications line. "_ZAFT mobile suits have been detected, you have to come up here and take command!"_

"ME!" She called surprised.

"_Yes you are the captain after all."_ Mwu told her. "_Even though I am the more experienced lieutenant, I know nothing about this ship."_ he enlightened her.

"Understood." Murrue told him, lowering her head in defeat. "Prepare the ship for take off, All hands, we are entering battle alert, level 1 battlestations!" Murrue told them. "What of your mobile armor lieutenant?" She asked him.

"_Usless, unless that Samuel kid pulled a miracle on it, if not I have to sit this one out._" Mwu told her.

"Alright, then I leave the CIC in your hands." She told him. With that, the panel shut down, and she turned to the civilians. "As you all just heard, this ship is going into another battle. As the Shelters are already at Level nine, I can't allow you to leave." she informed them. "If we can get through this and out of Heliopolis," She began, as Mir had Tolle hold her hand. Kira on the other hand formed a fist with his right hand.

"You people are unbelievable" Kira muttered. "And the only mobile suits are mine and Samuel?" Kira asked her, as Murrue nodded. "And only I can handle the Strike?" he called out, as the alarm of battle rang throughout the ship.

Down in the Hangar, Samuel had already put on a flight suit, that was for one of the pilots that did not make it. He was at the hatch for the Astray. "Battle again, I never thought I go into this line of work." He commented ot Murdoch and went into the cockpit and closed the hatch. He sealed his suit, and began to contemplate his machine for zero gravity, thanks to the large hole from last time, most of the air is now gone.

"_So, which one of these packs will you use?_" Murdoch called through the radio.

"Give me the Binsoku pack, however place the left arm armament from the Subeta, Better to be prepaired than dead." Samuel told them, as he moved his machine to the port Catapult, while Kira in the Strike moved to the Starboard one. Both machines were equipped, as the Jade had the backpack it had before equipped to it. And a Black and blue shield mounted on the left arm. Which also doubled as a rocket anchor. Much like what Kira was equipped with, as the Strike was given the sword pack.

Kira was updated in the OS for this equipment. "I hope things like last time will happen." Kira hoped.

"_Hey Kira? Are you ready for this?_" Samuel asked him as his face came on the screen. Kira just nodded, "_Good, things can get hectic out there, so be careful._" Samuel told him.

"_Launching Astray, and Sword Strike!_" An announcement called, as both machines took off into the air, as the Astray put away its beam rifle, and drew out both of its beam sabres, igniting _both blades of frozen fire. And both machines activated their phase shift armor while Kira, activated the beam within his sixteen meter anti ship sword. Samuel went after the the two machines equipped with D-Equippment weaponry, both with four heavy missiles. _

"Damn, those are not good at all." Samuel commented to himself as he went right for the mobile suits, while moving with good agility out of the blasts from the Archangel. Kira though, went after the two other machines, and was blocked by a GINN equipped with a Heavy Ion cannon, while on its way towards the Aegis that had arrived as well. The Astray however, went in, cutting horizontally at the nearest GINN. However the Ginn dodged the attack, mostly. . . The beam sabre slashed through the missiles on the left hand side of the machine igniting both of them, and destroying the GINN with them. The Other Ginn began to retaliate because of this, however, Samuel dodged its somewhat of an attack, and fired the rocket anchor on its left arm. "Sorry, but not today!" He called out, as the anchor latched right onto the head of the machine, as it began to take the GINN closer.

As the machines came closer, the Astray used its Igelstelungs firing into the cockpit of the machine, killing the pilot on the inside. However, over at Kira, he was facing a better pilot than what Samuel was facing, and was having some difficulty with it. Especially dodgeing a giant beam of energy from the GINNs weapon. Kira dodged the attack, as the beam melted away a giant support cable, which fell to the ground. Kira looked at the destruction forgetting where he was, as another beam came right for him. However, the Strike was moved out of the way, as the Jade Frame was using its rocket anchor like a whip. Both machines were now beside each other. "Kira are you alright!" Samuel called to him.

"Samuel, we can't hit the colony!" Kira told him, as Samuel nodded.

"Don't worry I don't attend to, but you can't die either." Samuel replied to him, as the beam sabres radiated wtih heat from its weaponry.

"What should we do?" Kira asked him. Another beam came at the both of them, however Samuel dodged the attack, while Kira took it to his own rocket anchor shield, as the rocket anchor of the Frame returned to its position. Kira then began after the GINN after its pilot, Miguel Aiman thought Kira was gone. Kira came out swinging the giant blade. The attack was dodged and Kira was almost hit by the beam however, Samuel pulled the Strike away from the blast with the Rocket Anchor. The two mobile suits, were both having trouble with the GINN, as each of them dodged its attacks, as it dodged their own attacks.

That was when the Aegis began to take part, going after the Strike. "Damn, the Aegis, they actually got it!" Samuel called out, dodgeing a beam from the GINN. "This is really bad." he told himself, as he blocked the cannon of the GINN with his own rocket anchor, however thanks to it, the beam sabre in that hand was destroyed. The GINN then took the proned Strike by surprise by the Aegis, as it fired its cannon. "Kira move!" Samuel told him, as Kira did just that, and not just that, but grabbed his beam boomerang and threw it towards the GINN, which dodged it. Apparently Miguel forgot what the boomerang could do, as Samuel took it to his advantage. He fired his rocket anchor attaching it to the cannon.

"What!" Miguel called out, however the boomerang sliced off the two legs of the machine, while the Astray cut off the barrel of the cannon. Then Kira came in with the final blow, as he sliced the machine from the left shoulder to the right waist with his sword. With that, the GINN's pieces exploded, with both machines looking upon what had just happened to the machine.

"So, it has truly begun." Samuel mentioned to himself, as he turned to see the Aegis, as in it the pilot Athrun Zala was in shock with the death that had just occurred. However, he began to detect the launching of missiles. The GINNs that he destroyed earlier still had six of the missiles intact, and with out the pilot, the Missiles began to activate on their own. "This is not good." He told himself, as the Strike and Aegis stared each other down, ready to fight.

"Athrun." Kira whispered thinking of earlier that day.

"_Kira, Kira Yamato!_" Athrun called through the radio.

"It can't be." Samuel told himself, recognizing the voice.

"_Is that really you Kira?_" Athrun asked.

"Athrun, Athrun Zala!" Kira called out, knowing the voice, as Samuel did not even move. That was when the six Missiles took off, each one hitting a section of the support shaft.

"What, damn it!" Samuel called out. "Kira! We have to go now!" Samuel told the Strike pilot as the machine floated beside him.

Kira ignored his friend, and concerned himself with the other one, that piloted the Aegis. "Why, why are you here Athrun?" Kira asked him. "Why have you joined ZAFT?" he asked, as the support shaft began to fall apart.

"Oh no." Samuel called out, as he saw the ground beginning to fall apart. "Kira!" Samuel yelled, getting to him. "We have to go now!" he told him, grabbing the Strike by the arm, however the Vacuum began to suck them right out of the colony. "DAMN IT!"

"AHHHHHHH!" The two yelled, as before they were thrown further away from the ship, Samuel kept a hold of the Strike with its right arm, and anchored itself onto the exterior of the hole they went through.

"Kira!" Samuel yelled at him, as the machines were both in danger. While the entire Colony fell apart infront of them. "No, please everyone be safe." Samuel whispered to himself as the colony continued its own destruction.

A while later, Samuel kept the Astray anchored to the debris, while holding onto the Strike. "Samuel, did what we just see really happen?" Kira asked him, as Samuel nodded telling him it was true.

"_GAT-X105 Strike, respond"_ Natarle called, as Kira was too shocked to say anything.

"Ensign, this is Samuel of the Jade Frame, I have the Strike with me, we are both in one piece." Samuel informed her.

"Heliopolis, is gone, why?" Kira asked himself, as Samuel was trying to shake it off as well, but Heilopolis was his home, ever since he met Rondo Ghina Sahaku.

"_Are you both alright Samuel?_" Natarle asked.

"A bit Traumatic, but yeah we are physically fine." Samuel replied to her.

"_Do you know our location?" _She asked him.

"Yes, I got it, we will be heading back now." Samuel told them, as Kira began to come back to reality. He took off, letting Kira regain his own thoughts, heading out.

Kira was thinking of people he hoped were safe. "Mom. . . Dad. . . please be alright." Kira hoped, as the Strike began to detect a lifepod that was damage. "A Heliopolis lifepod!" he said shocked heading to the machine.

Samuel floated in space heading towards the Earth Forces ship, however like Kira, he detected a Lifepod as well. He zoomed in on the pod, and saw what his eyes could not believe. "No way." He told himself, as he went for it as well, floating towards the pod. The pod seemed to be intact, however there was a breach in it, its air tank was losing air.

Both machines came closer to the Archangel as Samuel noticed the Strike also carrying a lifepod. "Looks like we found a common problem Kira." Samuel commented seeing that the one the Strike held was damaged, and would not survive without taking it with them. "Natarle, we are coming aboard, we also have some extra guests with us." Samuel told her.

"_What, who authorized you to bring them aboard!_" Natarle replied. As in the Archangel, Murrue turned to see what commotion was going on.

"What seems to be the problem?" She asked.

"Both the Strike and Jade Frame have lifepods with them." Natarle replied.

"_Well Authorize this, otherwise well be out here for a long time."_ Samuel told them. "I have to take this one, in, otherwise its occupants will die, the lifesupport is out." Samuel told her.

"The one i'm carrying has no propulsion." Kira told them, as Murrue and Mwu smirked at the bickering the three were having. "Do you truly want us to send these people to their death, because of protcol?" Kira asked her.

"_A rescue ship will arrive soon._" Natarle told them.

"Well, I'm not letting these peoples deaths be on my hands, I'm taking this one aboard, authorization or not." Samuel told her.

"_Well, then you do have authorization, the both of you._" Murrue informed them. As Samuel sighed, with both Catapults opening, allowing both of the machines to go in, placing the lifepods inside the ship. Then the decompression began.

A while later, after the equipment was removed, and back to their positions, Samuel went for the pod he brought in. However, for Kira the first person to come out of the pod he brought in, was a red headed girl, he knew very well. "What?" Kira wondered, as he took off towards the pod. That was when Birdy left his shirt, and began to fly towards the girl.

"Birdi!" It called, as the red headed female.

"Your Sai's friend!" She called out, seeing the young lad coming towards them. She catapulted from the pod, and hugged the only person she truly knew.

"Flay, is it really you Flay?" Kira asked her, amazed to see her with on the ship.

"I can't believe we're safe," Flay was saying. "What happened to Heliopolis? I lost my friends Jessica and Misha in a store, and the alarms were going, and.. When I finally made it to a shelter, everything just went crazy!"

"You're safe now, Flay," Kira said reassuringly. "Everything's going to be okay."

"But isn't this a ZAFT ship?" she protested. "And what are _you_ doing here, anyway?"

"It's not ZAFT," he told her. "This ship belongs to the Earth Forces."

"That's a lie," Flay accused. "There are mobile suits here!"

"No, that one was desinged by the Earth Forces, and the other one, well you will have to ask Samuel that." Kira told her, as Samuel came closer to the one he got, as there was a emblem of Orb on its side. "However, Sai and Miriallia are here as well." Kira continued with her.

However with Samuel, Murdoch was just getting ready to release its hatch. "Hey kid, any idea why this one is so important to have Orbs insignia on the side?" Murdoch asked him.

"Someone very important, a quite possibly a person who is responsible that your people could make these machines." Samuel told him. "Now pop the hatch!" He told him, as Murdoch did so, as the air began to mix with each other.

The first person to come out, had long brown hair, and wearing a puple overcoat over some lighter purple gown. "Miss Sahaku, don't be that hasty!" someones voice called out.

"Thought so, Murdoch, I like you to meet a woman that has allowed you to get the Strike, Rondo Mina Sahaku, of the Orb Noble family the Sahaku's." Samuel told them, as they all turned to the crimson eyed woman.

"Samo. . . Samuel what on Earth is going on?" Mina asked.

A/N: Well well, Heliopolis is now shattered, and Rondo Mina Sahaku is now on the Archangel, what kind of trouble, or help can one of Orb Nobles being on the ship. And will we learn more of Samuel's connection to this Orb Family? And who is Samuel worried about that is part of the Creuset team. Next Chapter will handle that part, but who knows whats going on afterwards.

The Next Chapter, the Silent Run. Please Read and Review.


	3. Chapter 03: Silent Run

Chapter 03: Silent Run

"Mina Sahaku?" Murdoch called out amazed to see and hear what Samuel told him.

"The lady of the Sahaku family?" Flay wondered, hearing of her, as Kira was also shocked to hear who was with them.

"Hey, you go tell the captain, you have a VIP aboard the ship!" Someone said from the pod coming on out. It was just some body guard for her.

"Easy S2." Mina ordered with a serious tone, as she turned to Samuel. "Sam, what are you doing here, and where are we?" She asked him.

He turned to the Jade Frame. "Something came up at the Colony, I had to commodere the Jade Frame, and now we are onboard the Earth Forces ship Archangel." Samuel told her, as Kira came closer seeing Mina for the first time in person.

"And you are?" she wondered noticing the young mans gaze upon her.

"Uh. . uh. . ." Kira tried to get out.

"M'lady Sahaku, you were on Heliopolis?" Flay asked her as Mina nodded.

"Oh, Miss Allster One of the richer familys to have a state at Orb, And yes I was on Heliopolis, what has happened?" Mina asked the three teens.

"I'm sorry M'lady." Samuel told her with a bow, "But Heliopolis is no more." Samuel told her.

"Oh Joy, I guess my brother and I will have to explain this to those Athhas back home." Mina told them rolling her eyes. "Samuel, please take me to the bridge, I would like to speak with the commander of this ship."

"Of course." Samuel told her, as he jumped towards the door, with Mina, and four others that seemed to be body guards for her, each one wearing a hood hiding their faces.

"Samuel, I am glad you found our pod, from what I could hear from the transmissions, and hearing our state. The Air supply was leaking?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I was in the area my friend." Samuel told her as she nodded.

"Well, I know the Earth Forces, and they are racist, and I know you, so as long as we are on this ship, can I ask you to add into my body guard ranks." She told him, as the dark hooded men continued to follow them.

"Of course, But what of the Astray?" he asked her.

"Hmm, I know, you will still fly it, when this ship comes into battle, you will pilot it, protecting ship, and protecting me with it." She persuaded him as Samuel nodded.

"Your brother was right, you sure do have a way of words." Samuel told her, as they came to the door to the bridge. "Here we are." Samuel told her, as the two of them, and two of the other body guards went into the bridge, while another two stayed outside.

In the bridge, the Earth Forces Officers of the Archangel, were thinking of a plan. "What are you doing on the bridge?" Natarle asked, as Samuel came aboard.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ensign, but my own superior ordered me to come here." Samuel told her, as Mwu noticed two men with hoods on, walk in as well.

"Whoa, who are these people?" Murrue asked, as she could see that each of the hooded men were carrying semi automatic pistols.

"These are my body guards." Mina told the bridge as she came into the picture.

"Excuse me and you are?" Natarle asked as, Murrue put two an two together, seeing the family resemblence between Mina, and her twin brother Ghina.

"Mina Sahaku!" Murrue called out with shock. Natarle went wide eyed with surprise because of this.

"And are you the captain Miss?" Mina asked.

"Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, acting as catpain of the Atlantic Federations Earth Forces." Murrue told her.

"I see, well I thank you for letting Samuel here bring my lifepod aboard the ship. Now, what seems to be the situation?" Mina continued.

"Ahh, Miss." Natarle began.

"Please, call me Mina, you people are the rulers of this ship, I just wish to voice my own opinion, but what is the current situation?" She asked again.

"Well, we are concerned about the ZAFT ships outside." Mwu began to tell her. "Like us, neither side can detect the other, which gives us some stealth, however we are low on supplies." Mwu continued to explain. "Our best chance would be to go to Artemis." he told her.

"I see, well to bad that, well never mind, so what is your plan?" She asked them.

"We are to send a Decoy out, we were about to being the operation when the well four of your came in." Natarle answered.

"Alright, Samuel go get ready with the Jade Frame, they may need its help." She told the silver haired youth.

"Yes mam." Samuel told her, and left the bridge for the hangar.

"Excuse me Captain, but could I stay on the bridge and see how the Jade Frame performs?" She questioned.

"Well as Morgenrete decided to help with this, I don't find anything wrong." Murrue replied, as Mina took stood looking out into space.

As this was happening, Samuel went back to the hangar, as down in the Cafeteria, Kira took Flay to the cafeteria, as the two arrived, Flay instantly saw Mir, Sai, Kuzzey, and Tolle all siting in the same spot. She instantly after seeing them, and wrapped her arms around Sai's neck. While on the bridge, Murrue began the operation to take them to Artemis. "Ready to fire the Decoy!" Murrue ordered. "Once it fires, head on course to Artemis." Murrue ordered, as Mina leaned against the wall behind her. "And then engage the main engines." she continued. "Go to level two battlestations." She ordered.

"ETA: for the Silent Run to Artemis." Mwu began. "Two hours flight." he informed the bridge. "Its now all up to lady luck." he commented.

"Launch Decoy!" Natarle ordered, as the ship fired a missile from one of the missile pods.

Giving the Decoy a few moments to do its job, Murrue went into action. "Alright, Engage Engines, Maximum output!" Murrue ordered. "Set course for the military fortress Artemis!" she continued. And with that, the entire ship went with full throttle towards the space Fortress. With this, Samuel climbed into the Jade Frame, still yet to sustain damage, however, that is only thanks to the Phase Shift armor.

"My friend, we are going to be protecting the ship, that will be all that matters." Samuel told his machine as he waited for the battle alert to come on. Even though, level 2 stations have already been ordered.

Although, in the crew quarters, Kira and all his friends were in one of the rooms. "So where are we heading, as it seems we just changed course." Sai wondered. "Are those ZAFT forces still around?" he asked.

"Who knows, and as this is an earth Forces ship, we might be going into combat again." Tolle commented. "So it is a high chance we are being chased, as they wanted that mobile suit."

"What?" Flay asked. "Being on this ship is even more dangerous than being in the lifepod?" She asked.

"Are you sure being on the damaged lifepod be any better?" Miriallia asked the frightened Red Head.

"No but!" Flay calmly said bracing onto Sai.

"Kira Yamato!" Mwu la Flaga's voice echoed throughout the room, as he stood at the doorway.

"Y-Yes?" Kira asked him, wondering what this man was doing here.

"It seems Murdoch is a bit angry, we do not seem to have enough pilots for the Strike and the Astray. And even though Mina has body guards, they do not have the capabilities to fly it either." Mwu told the coordinator teen. "Samuel also has his hands full with the Jade Frame, so you have to handle your machine yourself." he commented.

"My. . . My machine!" Kira called out surprised.

"Thats what I said, besides the only pilots we have are me, Samuel, and you, and it seems only you can pilot the Strike." Mwu continued. "And you have already flown it before." he continued.

"I piloted it Twice, because I thought I had not other choice." Kira told him. "But I am no soldier."

"Yeah, but neither is Samuel, yet he is already in his mobile suit. Because of one thing Kira, he is willing to defend the ship. So Kira, when that next battle begins, will those be your last words?" Mwu asked the teenager. "Right now, you, Samuel, and I are the only ones who can protect this ship."

"But I. . ." Kira began taking in what Mwu was trying to tell him.

"You have the power to do it Kira, its just your choice to wield it." he continued. "So just do what you can." Mwu commented for the young one. "Because we do not have much time. Not even enough to worry."

"Hey Lieutenant, where is this ship heading?" Sai asked the officer.

"An Euraisian Military Fortress." Mwu answered him, "And it would be nice if we can get there smoothly." he continued. That was when he left, and shortly after, Kira left as well.

"Kira!" Tolle called after the teenager.

"Eh? What?" Flay wondered what was going on. "What was that about?" She asked them. "Kira. . . that. . ."

"Flay, you know that mobile suit that brought your lifepod in, well Kira was the one piloting the mobile suit." Sai told her.

"What, Kira was the pilot?" She asked. "But how, how can he pilot a mobile suit?" She asked.

"Because Kira is a coordinator." Kuzzey answered her. Flay looked at him in shock.

"What about this Samuel?" She asked.

"We do not know, however he says he is Natural." Sai told her. "However, Kira is a coordinator, but do not worry flay, he is not part of ZAFT."

"Yeah. . ." Mir began getting Flay's attention. "He's our friend, a very precious one, as well as Samuel, the two of them fought on Heliopolis to protect the Friends they had on this ship." she continued.

Meanwhile in the hangar, Kira watched the Strike. "Kira." Samuel called, as he floated up to the platform Kira was on. However, Samuel was fully battle ready wearing an Earth Forces uniform. "Hey man, are you alright?" The teenager asked.

"Just because I can pilot a mobile suit, doesn't mean I can fight a war." Kira commented as Samuel wondered what he meant.

"Uhh, Kira, to the both of us, we are not going to fight a war, we will fight to protect this ship, because people we care about are aboard." Samuel told him. "Well, that is how I think, and how I will do this battle." Samuel told him as Kira then watched his friend fly off towards the Astray and into its cockpit.

"_Attention everyone, enemy battle ships detected, going to level one battlestations._" The announcement called out. "_All military personnel, report to your positions now._" it continued. "_Kira Yamato, report to the bridge, Jade Frame to Port Catapult!_" The announcement continued.

Kira floated along the gray hallway, as he heard Tolle call his name. He looked up, and saw each of his friends wearing Earth Forces uniforms. "Tolle, Everyone." Kira said surprised.

"Yo, Kira." Tolle replied back.

"Why are you all wearing uniforms?" he asked them.

"We thought we could help out on the ship." Sai answered him. "The ship is undermaned of course." he pointed out.

"They told us, we have to wear uniforms to work on the bridge." Kuzzey informed his friend.

"Well I got to say." Tolle began. "The ZAFT uniforms are much cooler. Because we do not even have any ranks." he continued. "We can't let you protect us all the time." he commented.

"Yeah Kira, we even want to do what we can to help." Mir told him, as Kira smiled at his friends for this.

Down in the hangar, the Jade Frame was ready to go into battle, as it waited for the ok. "_Mobius Zero La Flaga's unit, please move to the Starboard Catapult, Strike wait behind it._" The announcement called.

"Mwu la Flaga heading out!" Mwu called, as the Mobius launched into space. "Don't get destroyed before I get back." he told the ship.

Samuel prepped, his own machine. "Equip me with the Isei pack." Samuel told them, as the Archangel began to equip the machine, with a large Red Cannon, underneath its left arm, as two missile launcher pods were equipped to its shoulders. In a way, it was a form of the Strikes Launcher pack. However for Samuel, the Binsoku pack equipped to its hardpoint on the back. The thing is for this Astray, it was able to mix the packs. Something the Strike did not have, the abiltiy to do so.

"_Samuel, Kira_!" Miriallia called to them.

"Miriallia!" The two of them yelled in surprise to see her.

"_Thats right, and from now on, I'mthe battle controller for the Mobile suits, and Mobile armor."_ She infromed the two teens. "_Pleased to work with you._" she told them, as the Strike began to equip its Aile Striker pack. "_Kira, the Equipment will be the Aile Striker, and for you Samuel, the Binsoku Isei._" She informed the both of them. A short while later, the battle had begun, _"Kira Samuel, its time._" She told the two.

"Gotcha." Samuel told her, lowering his visor. "Astray Jade Frame, heading out!" he told her, as the machine blasted off, with beam rifle in its right hand, and the large red cannon locked into place with its left arm.

Before Kira did however, he thought of his friends, joining this ship to help out. And of the opponent he might have here today. "Kira Yamato, Strike Gundam, Launching!" he called out, as his machine blasted off into space, as the two Gundam machines were ready to fight. The two machines, changed from their dull gray state to their colors, the Astray to white and jade, as the Strike went to blue, red, and white.

"Lets see, what we got." Samuel asked himself searching for what he was about to face. "What damn, the Garnow launched the three other X numbers!" he told himself as he turned around, and flew overtop the ship. "Duel, buster, blitz. Any chance that the one I'm worried about upon one of these machines?" Samuel asked himself, as his machine went towards the three machines, with a group of Missiles fired from the Archangel as his wingman.

Kira was wondering the same thing for the Red Mobile suit he approached at this time. "That machine, Athrun?" Kira wondered as he saw the machine ignite of frozen yellow beam from its right wrist, Kira then drew one of the beam sabres that were located in his pack. The two machines pass each other, as though sizeing each other up to anyone not knowing what the two pilots truly were.

"_Kira!"_ Athrun called through the strikes communication systems.

"Athrun!" Kira called surprised, finding out he was correct.

"_Kira, put away your sabre!_" Athrun pleaded with his friend. "We are not enemies, you and I." Athrun told him, as the red coat wanted to keep his friend from dieing. "Right? Why do we have to fight each other?" he asked.

"Athrun." Kira winced at the comments.

"Why Kira?" Athrun asked him. "You re a Coordinator, just like us!" he called out.

"Believe me Athrun, the last thing I want to do is fight against you." Kira told him. However, on the other side of the Archangel, the missiles began to explode, as the Jade Astray stopped, and opened fire with the cannon it wielded. The cannon was a bit smaller than the Strikes Agni cannon, however it was just as deadly. A large multi color beam fired from it, however its targets dodged the attack.

Inside the Duel, Yzak Joule, a silver haired red coat smirked at the mobile suit that made its appearance. "Is that the mobile suit that was not in the data?" Yzak asked, as he drew a beam sabre and went for it. "Dearka, Nicol! You take the ship, let Athrun and I handle the mobile suits!" Yzak ordered them.

As in the blitz, Nicol nodded. "Roger." He called, destroying another set of missiles, as Dearka did as well with one of his rail cannons.

"What?" Dearka asked, as he moved out of the way of the Astrays cannon, as he returned fire, which the Astray then dodged.

"Stop whining Dearka, besides the legged ship is a bigger prize." Yzak told him, as the Duel launched towards the Jade Frame.

As inside it, Samuel looked upon it, as though he was feeling something. "Is this him?" He asked himself, as the 212 mm multiphase Cannon, known as Raiden returned to its dormant place on the mobile suit, drawing both of its beam sabres, to the Duels one. The two machines came at each other, as the three beams of fire slammed into each other, as this time, the Jade Frame had no shields on its arms to bother it.

"You are mine Natural!" Yzak yelled, as the Jade Frame kept the beam sabres intact with each other. However Samuel had his right hand beam sabre rise to come down on the mobile suit, however the Duel blocked it with a shield. "Give it up! Do you truly believe that you can take me!" he yelled.

"Never changed did you Yzak." Samuel smirked, as the two mobile suits broke off from each other.

"How, how did you know my name?" Yzak asked, as the Jade Frame, flipped its left hand beam sabre so the two beam sabres could look like they could connect into a staff, however they did join. It was as though Samuel was going to use the one in the left hand as a shield.

"Long story, perhaps I will tell you later." Samuel commented to the Duel pilot, as the two machines just looked at each other. However, back at the Archangel, it was about to be attacked by both the Buster and the Blitz. "What, damn Mina!" Samuel yelled at himself, as he blasted towards the mobile assault ship.

"Your not getting away from me!" Yzak yelled as he gave chase after the mobile suit.

Kira noticed the Archangel was in danger as well, however the Aegis got in its path. "Kira, Why are you with the Earth Alliance?" Athrun called out. "Why are you siding with the Naturals?" he asked. Which the Aegis began to give chase while all Kira did was avoid the commander unit of the X numbers.

"I'm not with the Earth Alliance!" Kira called to his old friend. "However, My friends are on that ship!" Kira told him, "And they are the ones I feel obligated to protect!" Kira continued. "Now you tell me, why did you join ZAFT? Why did you join the war?" Kira asked him, which gave Athrun something to think about. "You used to tell me that you hated the whole Idea of war, so why did you attack Heliopolis?" Kira asked him.

"Becuase! That is where the naturals built these things." Athrun replied to him. "They made it into a target, not us!" Athrun told him.

Kira began to sound angry now, "But Heliopolis was Neutral, and so am I!" he told the ZAFT pilot. "And yet you still attack!" he called out.

The Duel had caught up with the Jade Frame, as the two began to do the deadly dance of the blades in mobile suit form. "Just who the hell are you?" Yzak yelled, as the sparks flew because of the beam sabres. When the Duel fed off the Astray for a moment, the two anti ship missile launchers from the shoulders of the Astray opened fire, with them, as the four missiles fired, slammed into the duel, however it was unharmed do its phase shift however it was shaken up.

"I told you Joule, I am a old friend, that is all!" Samuel told him, as he put away his left hands sabre, and then knocked the multiphase cannon Raiden back into its fireing position. "Now leave me, and let me do my job!" he called out, as the Duel barely dodged the cannons attack.

"I'm not going down that easy!" Yzak yelled, as he came in slicing away the cannon, and then cutting away half of the head of the Astray.

"Damn!" Samuel called out, as the beam sabre came at him again right for the cockpit. "No you don't!" He called, as he blocked the attack with his current beam sabre, and drew the other, as the Raiden went back to its position, however it did not explode. The two mobile suits were again facing down each other, however the Jade Frame only had one optical camera to use, as the other was gone thanks to Yzak's last attack. "Don't underestimate me, I'm better than I seem to be." Samuel told him, as the beam sabres flailed all over with each other.

With the Strike, even though both machines were hesitant, the beam sabres had connected. "Kira, join us, we can fight for all coordinators!" Athrun told the pilot.

"You do not understand Athrun, I will protect my friends, even from another friend." Kira told him, as he saw the Astray and Duel fighting each other, however they changed weapons to beam rifles. However, the Astray was dodging the attacks, which Kira was now able to be hit, however blocked the attacks.

As back with them, Samuel fired off a pair of missiles to hit each other, creating a smokescreen like explosion. Which allowed him to break off from the Duel to go after the Blitz and Buster. "Fine, flee you coward, besides, it seems Athrun needs some help." Yzak told himself, as he went after the Strike.

The strike blocked a few rounds from the Duel. "What, the Duel, that's here to?" he called out, as Athrun stopped the battle with the strike.

"You're not fighting Athrun," Yzak shouted, "Why not?"

"Yzak. . ." Athrun wondered as he boosted out of the way, as the Duel slashed itself into the battle. Yzak watched helplessly, he did not want to hurt Kira despite a promise he made to Rau moments before the battle. Yzak seemed to be a bit angry, do to the words exchanged to him, by Samuel.

Samuel on the otherhand, began to protect the ship from the Buster, the one stronger of the two. However, Dearka in ranged combat was a force to be reckoned with. With that, Dearka fired multiple missiles from his missile pods, in which the half a head Astray fired as well with its own missiles, however most of Dearka's went through to the ship, but were stopped, by the ships own Igelstelung CIWs. "This is going to be tough, my main ranged weapon is useless, and he is to far away to use the beam rifle, and let alone that my Missiles can not do a damn thing to him!" Samuel yelled at himself, as he thought of what to do. "I guess protecting the ship from the Busters attacks is the best I can do." He told himself, "However, I don't have much missiles left." he told himself.

"Hmph, this machine seems to be piloted well by a Natural, and with the ship they are to well armed." Dearka mumbled, as the Blitz flew up beside it.

"I'll try from below the ship." The green haired youth known as Nicol Amalfi told him. "Cover me!" he called as the Blitz went for the Archangel again.

"Got yeah." Dearka told him, as he fired multiple missiles again, to shield the Stealth mobile suit.

"What the hell?" Samuel wondered as the Blitz went underneath.

Archangel Bridge:

Chandra detected the Blitz doing just what it was doing. "Mobile suit attacking from below!" he called out.

"Lower Igelstellung begin firing!" Natarle ordered. As Mina watched the crew of the ship battle taking in these maneuvers of what they are doing.

"Use the Gottfriend. Left rolling angle 30." Murrue ordered. "Port 20!" And with that, the ship began to move in such a way, and everyone that were not properly seated, began to feel the movement, with the somewhat artifical gravity of the ship. Mina was one of these people so with that, she was caught by one of her hodded body guards, who had better footing than she did. As outside, the Gottfried on the port side of the ship activated firing at the Buster, which evidently dodged the attack.

As at this time, who has been lying in wait for this entire battle, Mwu La Flaga waited for the right time, for him to strike at the ZAFT Nazca class the Vesalius. "Its payback time Rau Le Creuset, now you will see how its like to have a ship blown to pieces right under your own feet." Mwu smirked.

As with this, Kira was still having a hard time with the Duel. "Damn, damn damn!" Kira shouted, as he fired endless darts of green energy from his beam rifle.

"Using such useless tactics." Yzak muttered, as he came in with a beam sabre now, but being parried by the shield of the Strike. While the two machines continued their deadly dance, Athrun continued to watch. However, for Kira, using his beam rifle the way he was, was draining his battery fast. As for Samuel, his mobile suit accessed the battery in its Binsoku pack. Something he made up for such firepower the A-Packs had, giving each their own batteries to use when the mobile suits ran out. So in truth, he had two batteries left. Kira on the otherhad was not so lucky, as his power was running low.

Archangel.

"Nazca has locked onto us!" Chandra called out.

"Lohengrin, prepare to fire!" Natarle called out, as Mina got a look of concern, as the Astray has gotten the Buster in the line of fire, as well as itself, while the Strike has been that way this whole time.

Ramius quickly canceled that order for now. "Hold on a minute, the Zero is making its move! Evasive Maneuvers!" she called out. '_Are they turly willing to give up their own machines to destroy this ship_?' she wondered. As Mina kept quiet letting the soldiers do their job.

"To Dangerous!" Natarle shot back. "Take it or give it!" she called to them. As in space, it came down to a four mobile suit brawl, between a damaged Astray, and three G-Weapons. However, the Mobius Zero pilot Mwu La Flaga made his move, on the driect attack on the Nazca class ship. Even though the Stern of the ship, the Zero did some nice damage against the Nazca cruiser, as it catapulted itself back towards the Archangel.

"Communication received from Lieutenant Flaga," Jackie reported. "Mission completed, returning now." Jackie continued relaying the Hawks message.

Murrue sighed some relief. "Before we lose the chance, fire at the Nazca, inform our machines to get out of the way!" Murrue ordered them.

"Lohengrin, one and two, prepare to fire!" Natarle ordered.

As with that, both machines got the word. "Temporary Withdrawl, now that is what I'm talking about. Kira lets go!" Samuel called, as to the mobile suits, both the Strike and Astray both flew upwards.

"_Positron Blaster Cannons chamber Critical!_" they heard through the communications from the bridge.

As to the mobile suits out in the area, the ZAFT machines, got the message for a Withdrawl, and the Vesalius was hit hard. "Vesalius is damaged?" Yzak wondered, as he watched the machines fly away. That was when the positron blast from the Archangel flew by the mobile suits, as the Archangels machines were barely out of the way of the cannons.

Back on the Archangel, Chandra continued his report. "The Nazca class is leaving our firing range." he relayed.

"Give the Strike, and Jade Frame the order to retreat, Engines at Full Velocity towards Artemis!" Murrue commanded. And with that the Archangel fired its signal flares for a retreat. With that, both machines used their extra thrusters, to get back to the Archangel.

"As if I'll let them get away!" Yzak yelled as he gave chase once again.

"Yzak, its a withdrawl order!" Athrun yelled at his comrade.

"Shut up!" Yzak yelled at him.

However, Kira unlike Samuel, was unable to break free from the three machines. "Damnit Kira!" Samuel called out, as he turned around. Which he noticed that the Beam Rifle of the Strike was no longer functioning.

"What no power!" Kira yelled, as the Strikes Phase Shift Armor vanished.

"I got you now!" Yzak yelled coming at him with both beam sabres ablaze. However, Athrun did not like the Idea of Kira dieing today, as the Aegis transformed into its mobile armor form, and wrapped four long red legs around the Strike.

"What are you doing Athrun?" Yzak yelled, as Dearka went with Athrun, fireing upon the already damaged Astray.

"I'm captureing this unit!" Athrun replied.

"What?" Dearka called, as he continued his firepower on the Jade Frame. "We were ordered to destroy it, stop doing things on your own accord!" Dearka yelled.

"It'll be better if we capture it, if we can! Now we Retreat!" Athrun ordered the other pilots.

"ATHRUN!" Yzak yelled, who then reluctantly, began to provide cover for the machine as well.

"Damn, I need more firepower to get by." Samuel told himself, as he thought of something. As at the same time Flaga was thinking the same thing. "Damn it I forgot, this thing can use the Strikes weaponry!" With that, both of them sent a message to the Archangel.

"Message from Lewis, and Flaga, Prepare the Launcher pack for launch!" Jackie told them, as the bridge were surprised.

Mwu, was flying towards the Strike and its capturer. "Samuel, go to the ship, and cover the Strike from there when its coming there." Mwu ordered, as Samuel did just that, returning to the ship.

As on the Strike, Kira wondered what the heck Athrun was doing. "Athrun, what are you trying to do?" Kira called out.

"I'm taking you to the Gamow." the Aegis pilot replied.

"Stop Joking Athrun! I am not setting foot on no ZAFT ship." Kira told him, starting up the self destruct panel.

"Stop it Kira, you are a coordinator just like us!" Athrun told him.

"No! I will not join ZAFT!" Kira yelled.

"That is enough Kira!" Athrun told him with Anger. "Just shut up, and come with me or else. . ." He hesitated. "Or else I will have to shoot you down." he told him.

"Athrun." Kira motioned, hearing the pain in Athruns voice when he said those words.

"My mother died in the bloody valentine." Athrun said with a sad voice. "I. . " Athrun began, then he detected the Zero. When the shots from the Mobius hit the Aegis, it shocked it enough to release Kira.

"Kid!" Mwu called, as he continued to open fire on the Aegis, as the Duel and Buster opened fire on the Zero. "Retreat kid, Samuel will cover you from the ship, now go!" Mwu ordered him. Kira did so, as Emerald darts passed him, as Samuel was firing to give Kira some cover.

"He's not getting away from me." Yzak smirked, as both the Duel and Buster gave chase to the Strike.

On the bridge, the preparations finished for the Launcher pack. "Prepare to launch the pack!" Natarle ordered. "Target the Strike." she continued.

"No, give it to Samuel!" Mina ordered, as Murrue turned to her. "Trust me on this, The Jade Frame was based from the Strike, and it has the ability to use Earth Forces Weapons!" she told them.

"Alright, Natarle, target change, give the Launcher pack to the Jade Frame." She told them. "Miss Haww, tell Samuel to prepare to receeve the Launcher pack!" Murrue ordered her.

"Launch it!" Natarle ordered, as the Launcher pack came out of the catapult. Samuel went into the path, as the Weaponry got closer, it grabbed the Agni Cannon, as the Strike and Duel got closer.

"Samuel, he has the pack?" Kira asked himself, as he saw that the Astray was aiming right at him. "right." Kira thought. "Damn the Duel has a lock on me!" Kira called out.

"KIRA MOVE!" Samuel called out, as the Agni cannon fired from the Jade Frame. The Beam just barely missed the Strike, as the beam melted away the rifle, and the right arm of the Duel. As with that, the Astray blasted towards Kira, leaving the Launcher pack for the Strike to dock with, as it went after the Duel. With a clean sweep, the Astray slashed away the other arm of the Duel, as it began to retreat. Kira after docking with the Launcher pack gave chase to the other machines, as well as giving the Zero covering fire to retreat.

"Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, further attacks will be useless, we need to retreat!" Athrun called out.

"Athrun is right, if we don't retreat now, we will be the ones to run out of power!" Nicol called out to the other pilots. And with that, the Buster helped the Duel out of the battle, while Kira and Samuel continued to fire at the retreating mobile suits, until they were out of range. As everyone on the ship sighed relief as the battle was over.

"So, Miss Sahaku, what is the story behind the Astray?" Natarle asked, as both Machines returned to the ship.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot answer, the mobile suits known as the Astrays, I have only seen as data. Everything else will have to be asked to my brother, or Samuel." She told them.

"I see, now, I thank you for your words for that last part of the battle." Murrue commented, as Mina smirked at the remark.

"No thanks is needed, I just only helped out a bit. Besides, my main question will be, where are my quarters?" She asked.

"I see, well we will discuss that, when we get to Artemis." Murrue told her, as she nodded.

"Understandable, with all the Refugees onboard, its probably quite hectic down there." she commented about the refugees the ship was carrying.

As down in the hangar, Samuel left the cockpit, and went right for where the damage had been done to his unit. "Hey Kid!" Murdoch called out, as he arrived on the scene. "Wow, she sure got a number done to her didn't she?" he asked.

"Yeah, you can say that again, the Raiden is useless, and the head was heavily damaged." Samuel commented. As over by the Strike Mwu was heading over to it, as Kira has yet to leave the cockpit. "What about Kira, I wonder how he is doing." Samuel wondered. 'And as I feared, Yzak is with them' Samuel told himself, as he floated towards the Strike.

"Hey whats going on here?" Murdoch asked one of the other mechanics.

"The pilot, he wont come out." the mechanic answered.

"My my." Mwu commented. As he went over to the hatch controls, he opened the cockpit, as Kira still strapped in, breathing heavily, with a death grip on the controls. "Hey kid Relax." Mwu told him seeing the kid this way. "It's over now, you can come out, everyone is safe." he told the kid.

"Yeah Kira, we are all fine now." Samuel commented looking in to see Kira still in shock.

"Well done." Mwu told him, and turned to Samuel. "You as well." Mwu told the two.

Upon a while later, the Ship was very close to Artemis now, as Mwu and the other two pilots were in the pilots ready room. "Ahh, I'm glad I caught up with the both of you." Mwu told the two, as each one looked at him.

"What is it?" Samuel asked.

"Put a lock on your machines, make sure no one can operate them, except for you." The hawk told them, with a grim tone in his voice.

"I see, Atlantic Federation does not trust their own allies very well do they?" Samuel asked him.

"Frankly no, both parts of the Alliance are bitter rivals with creating weapons, and if they get either of these machines, well, the top brass wont like it very much." Mwu told the two of them.

"Well, I must go and give Mina a report, she is my commander in this rather than all of you." Samuel told them, as he left the two behind them. "Besides, the Jade Frame is already locked for me. Safety reasons." Samuel told them as he left.

A while later, Samuel made it to the quarters where Mina was to be staying, as outside the room, two hooded men stood, as they saw Samuel they gave him access to the room. "My my, tight security isn't there?" Samuel asked as Mina looked up from the bed she was siting upon.

"Cannot be to careful now can we." she told him, as two of the hooded men were on the inside as well. "S4, you can give it to him now." She told one of the hooded men. The man nodded and gave Samuel an automatic pistol. "For being a Sahaku body guard Samuel, you are required to carry one of these." She told him, as he looked at the keen barrel of the weapon, and the grip felt like it was customized just for him.

"I see, so, what do we do now?" he asked her, as all of a sudden and on cue, an inspection party from Artemis has arrived at the door. As several sounds from fist flying outside were heard among the people on the inside. That was when the two guards from outside the room were shoved to the inside, with several of Artemis' Soldiers behind them, each one of the soldiers carrying automatic rifles, targeting the rooms occupants, as with instinct, the Hooded men, and Samuel put their bodies between the Guns and Mina. With her standing behind them, wondering what in the world was going on.

A/N: Another Chapter done, and they have just arrived at Artemis, with a very unwelcomed welcome. What does Samuel have with Yzak, and the Jade Astray is actually able to use the Strikes Weaponry when necessary, just what will happen to this War with the Astray Jade Frame. Only the future knows.

Everyone thank you for reviewing thus far, and as one-village did, I don't mind you all giving suggestions. Infact I support that you do so, as I will then contemplate whether I will use them or not.

The next update of this will take a bit longer, as unlike this time, I updated this and Legends Rising at the same time last time, only because I had those chapters already written. So, I will be working on the next chapter for that story, then once thats posted, i will work on this one, rotating between both stories.

However, please, review.


	4. Chapter 04: Artemis Conspiracy

Ok, the title of this is just something I decided to name the chapter.

A/N: Ok, I have changed, the clones on the ship are currently not the Socius Clones. As Azrael is the one that gives the Sahakus Gundams, and Socius Clones with them.

Chapter 04: Artemis Conspiracy

_CE 71, November 27th_

_This day was one that some of my secrets were shown to my friends, and was the destruction of the giant base known as Artemis, I wonder, what would of happened later in the war if this base was still operational. Oh well, it does not matter, I was able to protect Mina, and I think one of the others got something for the Ame-no-Mihashira. Well I'm getting to ahead of myself._

_Samuel Lewis._

The Archangel had finally evaded the Creuset team long enough to get through the Umbrella shield of Artemis. Everyone thought they were safe now, however, what truly happend is that they jumped out of the frying pan, and right into a fire. With this, several armed Artemis soldiers stormed the Archangel, and had begun to take the entire ship prisoner, right under the ships officials nose. On the bridge, armed soldiers storm the place, with their commander right in the middle of the area. Each soldier placed a gun on each of the bridge members at the moment. "Commander! What is the meaning of this!" Murrue protested.

"Be silent Captain." Biddaulph ordered. He was a large proud man, with a strange face of scars.

Crewquarters Sahaku Room.

The four hooded men stared at the soldiers, as did Samuel, however, Mina placed a hand on Samuel and shook her head. "Each of you stand down, for now." Mina told each of them, as Samuel, and one of the others nodded. As a sigh could be heard from another.

"Throw your weapons to the ground!" One soldier ordered, as each of the hooded members did just that. One through down an electronic device that looked like a gauntlet. Another dropped a pair of semi automatic pistols. Another one, dropped various sized kinves that could be concealed on a human body. The last did nothing, as Samuel through his gun to the side. "Each of you follow us." The same soldier told them, as one grabbed ahold of Mina's wrist with force.

She looked at the man, with somewhat pain upon her face, because he held it with a hard grip. "Your coming with us." He told her, as she resisted a bit. That was when one soldier aimed a gun at her face. Which caused Samuel to somewhat snap, as he ducked under the one upholding him, and kneed, the soldier holding the gun on her.

"Where she goes in this place, I go as well." Samuel sneered, as another guns barrel touched his head.

"Don't move." The soldier told him, with a sneer in his voice.

"Listen, I will go peacefully with you, only if Samuel comes with me." Mina told the soldier, as the leader of the small squad nodded.

"Alright, you with me, the rest of you take them to the area were holding everyone." The leader of the group told them, as the four hooded members walked to the Cafeteria, with armed escorts. And with that, Mina and Samuel followed a soldier.

"Thank you Samuel." Mina told him, as Samuel looked at her.

Samuel flushed in the cheeks as he nodded. "No problem boss, anytime." He told her as the four people walked to the bridge, where the officers were being taken as well.

On the bridge, the crewmen were being taken to the Cafeteria. Natarle looked at Biddaulph, "Commander, why are you doing this?" She asked him.

"I am simply only locking down the ships controls and weaponry." Biddaulph smirked, as Natarle looked at him with anger.

"Locking down?" She asked him. "But this is. . ." She tried to tell him, as a soldier aimed his weapon at her.

"Your ship does not have any valid identification, nor does it have my forces own identification codes." Biddaulph explained to her. "Considering the situation, I granted you permission to enter the port but. . ." he began to tell them, with a hidden agenda. "I can't recognize you as allies yet."

"But. . ." Natarle tried to protest.

"We are a military installation." Biddaulph told her, beginning to raise his voice. "I hope you will be able to understand that." He ordered. While if looks could kill, the one Captain Murrue Ramius was giving him, he would be dead on the floor at the moment. "Well then, could the commanding officers, and the passenger Rondo Mina Sahaku joins us, I would like you all to follow me." He told them as Mina, and Samuel arrived with armed escorts, but not the good kind of escorts. "I will fill all of you in on the situation." He told them. They walked the corridors of the Archangel, until they met Mwu, and then went into a shuttle towards Rear Admiral Garcia's main office.

"What the hell are you thinking!" Murdoch barked, as he and the four hooded men all entered into the Cafeteria, and the four hoods went to the side walls. As behind Murdoch the bridge crew were put into the same room.

Garcia's office:

"The Atlantic Federation, so this is their secret military project." Garcia mentioned looking at the mobile assault ship Archangel. "They really knew how to hide such a machine." he continued with a smirk.

"It seems that the earlier rumors about a ship in Heliopolis were true." his second in command commented.

"I'll have them take a long rest here." Garcia smirked with this. "And it seems a Orb Noble is with them, this is going to be good for our own units are they not?" He asked turning to the 2nd in command.

"_Excuse me rear admiral, I have brought the three commanding officers, the orb noble, and her bodyguard here._" A soldier called in.

"A body guard hmm, Ok, Enter." Garcia told them, as the three Earth Forces officers, Mina, and Samuel all entered into the room. "Welcome to Artemis." Garcia told them, with a changed tone, as he looked through the three soldiers and the other two guests. As everyone explained their storys, the members of the Archangel, and the civilians it carried were discussing matters in the cafeteria.

Various questions were being asked in the Cafeteria such as. "Whats going to happen to us?" "They're not letting us go? Why are they not explaining the situation?" "Isn't Euraisa our ally?" some earth forces personnel commented. these were the various questions heard throughout the room. The four hooded men stood in one part of the room, talking amongst themselves.

"Do they have anything agaisnt the Atlantic Federation?" Sai asked one of the earth forces soldiers that were stationed among the Archangel, mainly Jackie.

"Thats not truly the problem." Jackie answered him.

"The problem is that we don't have an identification code." Romero whined.

"Is that really that big of a problem?" Tolle asked them.

"Something like that. . ." Chandra answered him, who was just standing beside the young man.

"The real problem lies elsewhere." One of the hooded figures spoke to them.

"So, the secretive body guards can talk." Tolle told them, full of sarcasm.

"Indeed, however, as this ship is Orb, and Earth Forces technology, I think the Eurasian forces, are just after the Mobile suit technologies.

Rear Admiral Garcia's office:

"Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, Lieutenant Mwu La Flaga, and Ensign Natarle Badgiurl." Garcia stated off as he looked at his computer screen. "I see, Your IDs are definitely of the Atlantic Alliance." he stated. "Now, Rondo Mina Sahaku, and Samuel Lewis both of Orb." he also stated looking at the two.

"We apologize for taking up your time." Mwu told the elder natural.

"Its nothing to worry about Hawk of Endymion, yes, your glorious name has reached even my own ears." Garcia told the ace pilot. "I also took part in the battle of Grimaldi." Garcia informed the small group.

"Oh?" Mwu said with a bit of surprise. "Admiral Villards unit?" Mwu asked him.

"Yes exactly right hawk." Garcia told him. "When we were on the verge of losing, Everyone were very encouraged to continue on, hearing that you destroyed five enemy GINNs." he commented on.

"Thank you, I think." Mwu told him, as Samuel kept searching the room.

"But, I never expected to see you, appear on the ship." Garcia commented, as he looked at Mina. "An Orb noble of all things, to appear on a Earth Forces ship, such a turn of events."

"I'm only even on the Archangel because my lifepod was damaged in Heliopolis destruction." Mina answered the man. "I ended up on the Archangel thanks to Samuel Lewis here." she told him.

"I see, interesting that he just happened to find you." Garcia commented to her.

"Just what are you getting at Garcia." Samuel told him.

"Nothing my guest, nothing at all." he told the silver white haired youth. "However, its going to be difficult for us to provide you with supplies immediately." Garcia commented.

"But we must head to the moon Headquarters as soon as possible." Murrue told him. "Even as we speak, we are still being pursued by ZAFT."

"ZAFT?" Garcia questioned looking at the captain. And with that, he hit a button, which on the screens behind his seat, lit up showing the Lauraisia class ship they have been fleeing. "As you can see, they are still outside the umbrella." Garcia informed the officers and noble. "They have been there ever since you arrived, and even if they had an armada of ships, they wont be able to penetrate the umbrella." He smirked turning back to his guests. "But even if you get your supplies now, you wont be able to go anywhere with them lying in wait."

"Well, we are what they are after. Waiting like this, could have this base in danger." Mwu told him, as Garcia continued to smirk.

Garcia even let out a hardy laugh, "Danger you say?" Garcia continued to laugh.

"Is this shield really that strong for you to be over confident?" Samuel asked the laughing man.

"Well, Mr. Lewis, They can't do anything to the base, as long as the shield is up, with its full barrier mode, they can't touch the base, even Nuclear Weapons would not be able to penertrate it." Garcia laughed as he told them, as Samuel smirked hearing this.

'However, continued assault would destroy the generators.' Samuel told himself.

"They will leave eventually, It's always like that." Garcia told his guests.

"But Commander, they. . ." Mwu tried to told him, as Garcia raised his hand to silence the Lieutenant.

"No matter, In any case, I want you to rest for a while." He told them. "You all seem very tired from your journey, I will have rooms prepared for you." He told all of them.

"Commander, but. . ." Mwu tried, as Samuel placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mwu, there is no way you can convince him otherwise, they are to overconfident of this shield." Samuel told him. "Lets just try to just do what he says, until we can leave." Samuel told the experience pilot.

"Private, please escort our guests to their rooms." Garcia told the soldier that just came into the room. Having each of the people to leave the area.

Samuel, and Mina were put into a different room than the others. "This is bad." Samuel commented as Mina looked at him, taking a seat on the couch.

"What is it that you mean?" Mina asked him, as he looked at the ground.

"We should expect an attack sometime soon. The Blitz will be able to sneak in close thanks to its Stealth system." Samuel told her.

"So you expect an attack?" She asked him as he nodded.

"Yeah, and the Jade Frame wont be able to battle, since repairs were delayed." Samuel continued. "And, another problem, if they find out what we are, we are in great danger. We are with the Earth Forces at the moment." He told her.

"Indeed Sam, things will soon be getting hectic, I've seen evidence of your abilities in the Jade Frame already. And there is a high chance, that they know already, especially the hawk." Mina told him, as Samuel nodded leaning on the couch. "What do you think our chances are of surviving the inevitable?"

"It just depends if Savir and the others can get Kira to the Strike." Samuel commented.

In the Archangel, Garcia had went for a small visit, as he his aide, and the two soldiers continued to guard the door, as the hooded men looked upon them. No one knew what the commander was doing here, however, they wondered what he was indeed after. "I believe the pilot of the Strike, and the Jade frame are somewhere amongst you all, so where are the pilots?" Garcia bellowed out.

Kira was stirred by the comment, but Murdoch stopped the teen. "Mwu La Flaga was piloting the Strike, and . . ." he told them, however, one of the hooded men finished for him.

"A nice try, but our instruments say that the Moebius Zero was involved in the fighting," the admiral commented with a smile. "Since the Hawk of Endymion is the only one who can use the wired gunbarrels, it was obviously someone else." He stepped farther into the room, and his eyes moved to Mir. "Of course," Garcia murmured. "Who would expect a girl like you to be the pilot? An interesting ploy, indeed. Come with me," he commanded, voice no longer conversational. One of the hooded men, stepped in between the two before he could grab her by the arm. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked.

"You know guys, these hoods are getting to damn warm." The man told the others.

"Saxton!" Savir yelled, as he stepped towards him.

"Savir I know you want to follow the orders, but sooner or later, they will find out what we look like." Saxton told him, as he took the hood off. Everyone gasped in a bit of shock, as did Garcia and his men. Saxton actually looked exactly like Samuel, as he moved his neck back and forth, causing a few cracks. "Much better."

"Samuel." Mir said in shock as he looked back at her.

"No, the name is Saxton." He told her, as he looked at the other three. "Come on guys, they will find out sooner or later. "I'm the pilot of the Jade Frame, and Savir is of the Strike." Saxton told him.

"Yeah right." Garcia told them, causing a look of confusion from Saxton. "I know for a fact that, you, and your three little friends arrived after the activation of both machines." Garcia told him. "However, you two have been on during the time of activation." He told them, looking at Mir, and now even Sai. "Such young pilots these days."

Kira had enough, having his friends all being persecuted from his actual actions. "Leave them alone, I'm the pilot of the Strike." Kira announced, as Garcia looked at him, almost angry, with all these people telling him they were the pilot.

Garcia smiled, looking at Kira, as he came over to the young pilot. "Oh really, I do admire you protecting them, however, that machine wasn't designed for the likes of you." he told Kira.

"And it was designed for her?" Savir asked, as he came up.

"If I would not be the pilot why would you accuse her?" Kira asked him, however, Garcia threw a punch at the young teen. Kira used his reflexes, as he side stepped the thrown punch, grabbing the wrist, and using most of Garcia's own inertia to send him to the floor. "I did not do anything to justify you getting angry, and hitting me!" Kira called out.

"Why you little punk." Garcia's aide called out, as he went for Kira as well. However, another black hooded person came in, stopping the punch, and delivered a spin kick to the mans gut. During the spin kick, the hood fell of him, as long whiteish silver hair spun around him, as the Aide doubled over in pain from the kick.

"Never threaten any of these people again." the man said, as besides the long hair, he had the same eyes and facial looks of both Saxton and Samuel. As they looked at him, he was only standing on one foot and was ready to move when needed.

"Who the hell are you two?" Garcia asked the two men, as the other two removed their hoods. They all looked alike, however Savir and the other one had different hair styles, apparently their main way to tell each other apart. Savir had shoulder length hair, as the last one had short hair, with spiked bangs, held by hair gel.

"We are the personnel body guards for Mina Sahaku." Savir commented, as the armed soldiers took aim at the four of the body guards. Each looking at the soldiers with azure blue eyes.

Flay stood up, still being shocked with the features of each of these hooded men, or more like replicas of Samuel. "Stop this, Kira is the pilot of the Strike." She called out, as Savir looked at her. "He is the pilot, because. . . because he is a coordinator." She told the Artemis soldiers.

People were surprised with this answer, as were the hooded men, even though Samuel knew what Kira was, they were never told of this news, or heard any mention that Kira was a coordinator. However, Garcia stood, with a intriguing smile, rather than an angered look. "Well well well, another coordinator that we could use." Garcia commented.

"Another?" Savir wondered. '_Did they figure out miss Sahaku is a coordinator, or is there another among us?_' Savir asked himself.

"Indeed, we have found another rather intriguing person, a coordinator no less, however, that is not the point, the point is you." Garcia explained as well as looking at Kira. "You come with me." Garcia ordered, as one armed soldier, began to escort Kira out, leaving three soldiers on the four white haired people. However, they looked at each other and nodded.

"Ok, just who the heck are you four?" Tolle asked the four black claded men. Each seem to have been trained in combat in some way.

"Were the Sah quintuplits." Saxton told him with a smirk.

"Now that is a lie, you all look remarkably like Samuel, just what is going on?" Sai asked, as Saxton sloutched his shoulders.

"Fine if you want to know the truth," The long haired soldier began. "We are actually clones."

"Clones!" Various people called out.

"Isn't cloning illegal?" Flay asked, even though she was still worried about Kira.

"We don't have all the pieces our selves, besides that we were created by Samuels own orders. He and miss Sahaku seemed to grow attached to each other, so he got us made, with Rondo Ghina's own money to do so." Savir told them. "However, we have more important matters to worry about." he commented looking over at the guards. "Sai, Tolle, Jackie, Arnold, Murdoch, all of you come over with me, we need to think of a plan." he told them. luring them to a corner table.

Artemis: Room where Samuel and Mina were at.

Mina layed on the couch as Samuel sat in the chair away from her. "Samuel, thank you for what you did on the ship." She told him, as he looked at her with some confusion.

"Oh, no problem, remember, ever since I woke up and I saw you there, you and your people saved my life, so I want to repay the favor someday. Even if I have to do it many times." Samuel told her, as it caused her to blush a small bit. "And you do know, I'll do anything to help you in those goals, however, the best I can do right now, is get you back to Orb." Samuel told her.

"Thanks, knowing your helping us, getting Orb to be just that small Island, and showing what it truly can be. You will surely make it easier." She told him, and with that, Samuel gave her a smirk.

"Anything for you m'lady." He told her. "However, I am growing attached to these people. And I think you might be able to as well. That Kira, he is one as well." he told the noble woman, as back on the Archangel, in the hangar, they only needed one of the machines, so they only needed Kira.

Garcia, his aide, Kira, and a few armed guards, walked at the feet of the Strike Gundam. "So, I just need to unlock the OS, right?" Kira asked them.

Garcia smirked, as he looked at the beak of his earth forces hat. "For Starters yes. . ." Garcia told him. "But you should be able to do much much more." he commented.

Kira turned to the rear admiral. "Such as?" Kira asked him, as Garcia looked at the Atlantic Federations Mobile suit.

"For instance, analize this thing, and create another one." He commented. "Sure the CAT is a good machine, however, this one has technology the CAT series does not have." Garcia told him.

"CAT?" Kira asked.

"Nothing that concerns you boy." Garcia told him. "Either we do that, or create a weapon capable of taking on a mobile suit such as this." he told the teen.

"But, I can't, I'm only a civilian, and a student." Kira told him, "I'm no soldier, and I have not been drafted by any army." he said raising his voice. "There is no reason I must do this!" as Garcia laughed.

"But your a traitor to the Coordinators." Garcia told him. This caught Kira by surprise, bring flashes of the last battle with Kira, and some of the words Athrun had told him.

"Traitor?" Kira repeated

"I don't know the reason, but, once you fired upon your kind, " Garcia told him, as Kira nearly snapped.

"NO I. . ." Kira tried to tell him, but deep down, Kira felt that what he was saying was the truth.

"It's rare that a Coordinator would join the Earth Alliance, as far as I know, only two others have done so." Garcia commented. "However, like them, you have nothing to worry about, You'll be forgiven." Garcia told the kid. "In Euraisa, unlike the Atlantic Federation, we will gladly allow a coordinator to fight along side us, and we wont stab them in the back." Garcia told him, as Kira looked at the admiral.

As at this time, unknown to everyone in the base. Nicol Amalfi, pilot of the stolen Earth Forces prototype mobile suit the Blitz Gundam. Which layed cloaked under the use of colloid particles, something the Astray Program did not copy in time. The blitz moved towards the base, as the colloid particles, bent beams of light, and radar around the mobile suit, having it invisible to both radar, and the naked eye. As at this time, Kira worked on the Strike at Gunpoint by Garcia. The cafeteria was silent, as were the officers. Mina, and Samuel were also silent, waiting for some sign something was about to happen. That was when an unexpected Vibration hit the fortress. "Is this what you were expecting Samuel?" Mina asked as she shot up and continued to stay on the couch.

"Yeah, it must be the Blitz, no sensor that can be used now can even detect the machine, allowing it to get up close and personal with this base." Samuel told her, as Mina tried to stand up, but with another shot, she almost fell over, but Samuel was there to catch her.

"Thanks," She told him, as he nodded. She stood up right, as Samuel looked to the door. "So, the destruction of this place has truly begun." she commented, as Samuel went over to the table, in which seemed to found various items. One was a bottle of champaign, and a lighter near by.

"Well well." He commented, grabbing some papers, bunching them up into a ball, however small enough to go into a bottle.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, as he nodded to her.

"A plan to get out of here." He told her, as he poured some of the champaign to the floor. "We don't have the chemicals to make a proper bomb, however, Heat in a pressured area, can cause a explosion of very small porportion." Samuel explained. "If we can get them to open the door, a piece of this bottle could easily hit one of them, allowing us to get through." he continued, as he pushed a part of the paper into the bottle.

"Your making one of those cocktail things!" She almost yelled.

"Exactly, it either should be enough of a bang, to alert the soldiers, or kill them, if we can get them in here." He told her, as he looked behind the couch. "Here hold this for a sec." He told her, giving her the make shift Molotov Cocktail.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"Well, the small bang will send shrapnel, all over, so we need some kind of cover." Samuel replied, as he moved the couch to allow them to hide behind.

However, during this time, on the Archangel, the Artemis soldiers were in shock feeling the vibrations, as if this was an attack, it would not be possible if it was, with the lightwave shield. "Hey whats going on?" a civilian called out.

"Now is the time." Savir commented, as Saxton, and the long haired member of the group, who's name was learned to be, Saxen.

"Now!" Saxton yelled, surprising the two soldiers, as both lifted the rifles above the soldiers head, and slammed a fist into the gut of each. Having both soldiers doubling over in pain. Both of the attackers however grabbed the assault rifles the soldiers were equipped with.

"Ok, Lets take this ship back!" Savir ordered, as he and the two with the rifles now went for the hatch.

"Good luck to each of you!" Chandra called to them, as the bridge crew began to go for the bridge, as the three men that were once hooded, went to go get the one they protect, and the host that gave them lifes blood.

As soon as they came to a hatch, the three of them took over a shuttle, allowing them to go into the main base. Upon arrival, a fire fight began, as both the Sax's opened fire on the Alliance forces, as they went to the nearest computer room. "Saxton, cover the door." Savir ordered, as he began to search the systems of the Artemis base.

"We need to find Samuel, and Mina. As well as the officers of the Archangel" Saxen commented, as he took a different seat, and began to scan the system as well.

Saxton picked up the radio of a dead soldier that they killed when entering the room. "Hmm, well this is interesting, Saxen, continue with the search, I'm going to download these systems." Savir commented, as Saxen continued.

As the shaking continued to vibrate the entire base. The data transfer from the system of the Umbrella Shield was completed, with only data on the shield. "Alright then, and I got them, two floors above us. That Archangels officers are in the same corridor." Saxen told them, as Savir nodded, finishing his work, taking the disc from the machine.

"Good, lets go then." Savir told them, as Saxton fired at a pair of soldiers, taking out a leg, and killing another one, hitting him piercing the skin in the neck.

As the three soldiers went through the base to the area they needed to get to, Mina kneeled behind the couch as Samuel waited for the next vibration. "Come on, Blitz, I know your out there, do something." Samuel told himself, as he waited for the vibration. "Listen Mina, with the next vibration, start yelling there is a fire." Samuel told her.

"Samuel, I'll do things for you, but I will not go low enough to yell for a fire." She told him. "When there is not even one."

"Well, once this thing goes, there will be." he told her showing the makeshift cocktail of his. That was when the vibration was felt, as he ingnited the paper, and closed the bottle off. The paper burned fast as Mina actually did begin to yell.

"HELP FIRE!" She yelled over and over again, as Samuel joined in, as he threw the bottle at the door. However, the door did not open, until after the bang was heard, sending glass in all corners of the room, even impaling the couch the two of them were hiding behind.

"Whats going on here!" A soldier yelled, as he came in, swinging through the smoke. However, Samuel jumped over the couch, stepping on some of the shattered glass, while slamming, a foot into the gut of the soldier. He also grabbed the rifle, twisting the mans arm, as he yelled in pain, while bringing the barrel to aim where the door was. And fired a few shots at the door. The soldier now with the twisted arm's partner was hit three times, two with non fatal shots, while the other had pierced the upper chamber of the heart. "You Bastard." The soldier told him, as Samuel held him down.

Samuel looked down to see it was the same man he punched back on the Archangel. "Well, this is what happens when you threaten her life." Samuel told him. "And I don't plan on letting her die, here on Artemis." he told him, as he slammed the side of his hand in the back of the mans neck. Snapping it, with the force he wielded, killing him. "Mina lets go." Samuel called to her, as he grabbed the assault rifle, of the now dead soldier, and went out the door, and grabbed the other, wielding two guns now. He looked out the door, as the smoke began to fill the halls. He could hear Mina coughing behind him. "Mina, are you alright?" he asked going up to her.

"I'm not used to having this much smoke in one area." She told him, as he held her hand.

"Even so, we got to keep moving." he told her, as machine gun fire could be heard firing towards them. Samuel kept himself between her and himself as he waited until he could see what was doing the fireing, as his eyes adjusted to the smoke even though they stung within it.

"Shit, this smoke is coming from the room they were in." Saxton called, as the three of them appeared infront of Samuel.

"Saxton, Savir." Samuel somewhat coughed out.

"Samuel, lady Mina." Savir said twirling around moving smoke away from them enough to see the two.

"Saxton, take Mina back to the ship, we need to get the others." Samuel told them, as Saxton nodded, helping Mina to head back.

"Saxen, go with them." Savir ordered, as Samuel passed him the second weapon of his. With that, the five seperated, each of them heading towards either the Archangel, or to the next room. Samuel and Savir both ran to the corridor where Natarle, Mwu, and Murrue were being held, as they opened fire on the two guards, hitting the both of them six times, with three shots from each other, placing six hits upon them.

"Ok, lets go." Savir told his counterpart, as both of them came to the door.

However, what surprised them were the sounds coming from inside the room. Screams, and yelling of losing air in the room. Samuel opened the door, as he walked in. "Whats going on?" Samuel asked, as Mwu turned to see it was Samuel.

"Samuel, its good to see you, wheres Mina?" Mwu wondered.

"She is on her way to the ship." Savir told them, as the three officers looked shock, to see such a remarkable resemlance between Samuel, and Savir. "Sorry, the name is Savir, I am one of the body guards of miss Sahaku."

"I'll explain everything later." Samuel told them. "The Blitz is attacking, and I for one don't want to be killed here." Samuel told them, as he began to head towards the way to the Archangel.

"He's right, lets go." Savir told them, as the two white haired youths went down the corridor heading back to the ship.

Back on the Archangel, the alerts were going off, as the hangar began to have fireballs form of explosions as the Blitz flew on through destroying Launching Mobius units. "What the Umbrella has been destroyed Impossible!" Garcia yelled.

"Commander!" The one with Kira called down, as Kira took this time to get rid of him. He used his foot to kick the soldier that held him at gunpoint away. As soon as he did, he closed the cockpit of the Strike, and began to go to the catapult.

"You STOP!" Garcia yelled up to the moving strike.

"_We are under attack aren't we?_" Kira called out on the speakers. "_There is no time for this!"_ He called out. _ And with that, the Strike and connected to the catapult. _

"_Kira!_" Miriallia called as Kira was surprised to hear her.

"Mir!" he called out, as she nodded.

"_We are safe, and we're giving you the Sword Striker, as its only the Blitz,_"She told him.

"Alright." Kira replied, as he activated the phase shift armor of the Strike, right after the three parts were connected to his machine. The Strike went out of the Archangels hangar, and stared down the Blitz Gundam that was right infront of him. Both machines fired their anchors at eachother, as both the Panzer Eisen, and the Gleipnir hit each other. "Damn, even in a place like this they attack us!" Kira called out. With him saying this, the Strike brought out its Schwert Gewehr anti ship sword. And as he did, the two mobile suits faught above the Archangel. Even though they faught, the Blitz would have backup rather soon, as the Buster, and the Duel were heading their way.

The Officers, Mina, Samuel, Savir, Saxton, and Saxten all returned to the ship each going their own way. Savir and is boys took Mina to the infirmary, as Samuel went for the hangar. Once Samuel made it to the hangar, the last of Garcia's men had barely left, as he went right for the Jade Frame. "Murdoch, Get the Subeta pack ready!" Samuel called down.

"Kid, the Jade Frame is not fully repaired!" Murdoch called up to him.

"So, who cares?" Samuel called out. "If I don't use it now, it wont have a ship to be repaired!" Samuel told him, getting into the cockpit, and began activating the machine.

"_Archangel is Launching, prepare for launch!_" Murrue's voice echoed throughout the ship, as Mina was getting some fresh oxygen for inhaling the smoke of the cocktail Samuel created. However, Kira was taking on the Blitz outside, with somewhat difficulty for his first time facing one of these machines in one on one combat, and in a place smaller than Heliopolis itself. He blasted towards the Blitz, dodgeing the attacks it fired, and swinging its massive blade at the machine. However, only ending in failure as the Blitz dodged the attack.

However, what was going through his head, and he fought were the words of Garcia. "But you are a traitor to the coordinators." were the words that rang through his head.

"DAMN IT LEAVE US ALONE!" Kira yelled, as all of a sudden, the Blitz lost most of its right leg, from a beam boomerang, as the Jade Frame came out of nowhere using a pack that resembled the Strikes own sword pack, even though it held a beam boomerang in one hand, as the entire pack seemed to be a black variation of the Striker-pack.

"Kira!" he called out, as the two machines flew side by side, almost looking like brothers, as the Jade Frame brought out its own anti ship sword called the Tatsumasa, which translated to Dragons Fang.

"Samuel!" Kira called out, as he then realized that the Jade Frame was still damaged from the last battle, with half its head missing.

"We got to clear a path for the Archangel, the Duel and Buster are comeing in from the other side of the hangar, and the Archangel can't use its weapons in here!" Samuel called out to him, as the Blitz seemed to hesitate, as now it was facing two opponents, as it was usually the one that had the numbers on its side.

"_Kira! Samuel!_" Miriallia franticly called the two mobile suits. "_Come back!"_ She told them. "The Archangel is taking off!" She called.

Kira began to take off, as Samuel looked at the Blitz. "Sorry B, well play again someday later." Samuel told the Blitz, as both the Strike and Jade Frame retreated. The Blitz tried to chase them, but was cut off by a large explosion stopping it in its tracks, and causing the machine to somewhat retreat. With that, both machines landed on the Archangel.

As Murrue ordered the ship to go. "Archangel, Maximum Engine Output, get us out of here!" She yelled. And with that, the Archangel Launched to space, leaving a burning hangar, behind them.

Archangel, Hangar:

The Strike and Jade Frame were now in their positions, as Kira came out seeing both Murdoch and Mwu down on the ground. "Hey Kid," Mwu said as Kira floated right by him, not saying a word.

"Whats with him?" Samuel asked coming down, as both Mwu, and Murdoch shrugged an answer. "Tell me, is Miss Sahaku in the infirmary?" He asked as Murdoch nodded. With that Samuel left them behind without saying a word.

With this, Samuel floated by Kiras room, where he happened to go. "I'm, a traitor?" Kira asked no one, as Birdy was on his shoulder.

Savir appeared behind Samuel, "What exactly did that man tell him?"

A/N: Finally the fourth Chapter is over, and it seems Samuel was cloned, and by the looks of it, at least four copys have been made. What is his explanation for being cloned, Illegally no less. Only time can tell for this.

The OCxMina pairing has been showing more evidence of being true in this chapter. Please Read and Review everyone!


	5. Chapter 05: The home of Nightmares

Chapter 05: The home of Nightmares

Space, after Artemis

The Archangel flew through space, and after that battle within Artemis, its Hull, and Mobile suits were intact. Samuel, and all his clones, were in the infirmary with Mina, who had been confirmed to be alright, only thanks to having plenty of oxygen, however she was doing very well. "Thank you everyone for looking out for this place and us." Mina told them.

The short haired Clone, that seemed to carry, many knives upon his body. His name was known as Samuru, and he seemed to have a more agitated look than the others. "Only doing our job miss." He told her.

"Well, it seems the ship knows of what we are now." Savir commented, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, which means, I have some explaining to do." Samuel spit out, as Mina nodded. "Well, only the reason why Savir and the others exist." Samuel told them with a smirk. "That would be the only thing required besides, its not like they can demote me." he joked.

Archangel Bridge:

The entire bridge was in utter silence, as they carefully watched for the Garnow, and any other ZAFT ships that could be in the immidiate area. "Confirmation, no enemy ships detected within a radius of 5000." Chandra confirmed. "It looks like we finally lost them." he told the bridge.

Everyone were relieved for such news, as Murrue sighed some relief from her captains chair. "It seems Artemis really confused the enemy for us." Mwu commented. "In which its the only reason I would thank them." he told them, with sarcasm in his voice.

"But," Natarle tried to get out, as Murrue was thinking exactly what she was about to say.

"I know, although its good we finally lost ZAFT, we didn't exactly solved those problems of our own, and we have to speak to Samuel about his little clone problem." Murrue told them.

"Yeah, but we should be thankful he did." Sai told them. "It was those clones that helped us out of that rather difficult Jam." he informed the three officers.

"No matter, we should still get an explanation, crewman Haww, get Miss Sahaku, Samuel Lewis, and his four Clones to meet us at the Captains Office." Natarle ordered.

"Natarle!" Murrue called out, as Natarle began to leave the bridge.

"Well, when were you going to tell her to do that, we may as well finish this now." Natarle told them, as she floated off. Mwu shrugged at what she was saying, and followed suit.

Cafeteria Archangel:

Flay was beginning to complain, after hearing that they had to use what water they had sparingly. As at the same time, Saxton, the one that looked exactly like Samuel came into the room. "Samuel!" Flay called out, as Saxton looked at her.

"Sorry Flay, the names Saxton, I'm one of those clones everyone is talking about these days." Saxton correct her. "What seems to be the problem?" He asked.

"Flay is just being troublesome with the water shortage we are to endure." Tolle told him. "All she is doing is asking, 'Do I have to?" Told told him, saying do I have to in a girlish act guys sometimes pulled off when teaseing a girl.

"Oh, well Flay." Saxton tried.

"But its not fair, I wont be able to have my shower!" she told them.

"Hahahaha, neither will anyone else for that matter, but we need to using the water rationally until we can get more." he told her with a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me on that, like you trust Samuel, besides we both have the same blood afterall." he laughed.

"Speaking of which, why are you not acting like Samuel at all?" Tolle asked him.

"Oh, clones don't share the same mind as the original, you see, I am the layed back clone, and well I decided to have the same hairstyle because well, I like it." Saxton told him. "We each have our own weapon preferences, lifestyles, heck even the Sahakus even gave us our own homes at Orb." Saxton told her.

"_Could Samuel Lewis, Mina Sahaku, and their group, please go to the Captains office._" Miriallia's voice echoed throughout the ship.

"Well, looks like the Captain wants an explanation now, I can't let the others have all the fun, so I'll see you all later on." Saxton told them, leaving the Cafeteria.

"Well, that was interesting." Flay commented, as she watched the teen leave the room.

Archangel, Captains Office:

The Clones arrived before Samuel and Mina, who came from the infirmary as the Archangels Doctor asked her to stay there for a while, just incase the smoke dealt any damage internal damage. Samuel stayed with her, only to let Savir do so as well allowing him to help with the repairs on the Jade Frame. However, all six of them are now in the room. "You called for us Captain?" Mina asked her.

"Yes I have, mainly because of well, Savir and his people." Murrue began.

"Did you know Cloning is illegal" Natarle told them, getting right to the point, as Mina nodded.

"Yes of course we do, however we did not care at the time." Mina answered her. "Infact Samuel insisted that we clone him." she told them.

"What reason is good enough for you to go against the law?" Natarle asked them.

"I have only one reason why. As I was going to be going to Heliopolis, to work on your machines, I wanted myself cloned, so even when I am miles away, I could still protect Mina!" Samuel calmly told them, as everyone were surprised especially Mina.

"Samuel, I thought you only wanted them to body guard the entire Sahaku Family." Mina told him, as Samuel shook his head.

"Heck no, he only wanted us to protect you Mina." Saxton told her.

"I see, and I understand." Murrue commented.

"Captain!" Natarle called in protest.

"Easy Ensign, I also understand where your getting at Kid." Mwu began, earning a look of interest from Samuel and Murrue. "You love her don't you kid?" he asked, as Mina looked at Samuel, even though she knew he liked her and she shared the same feelings to him. She was treated as a Noble all her life, but Samuel treated her like a normal person, as for Samuel, he seemed to care for her as soon as he woke up since then.

"Tell us, how did you even meet the Sahakus?" Murrue asked the teen.

"Ok, it was nearly a year ago." Mina began. "We found Samuel unconscious on a beach, well more rather our maid did. As soon as he was found, we took him to the hospital, and he was in a coma for a week." Mina told the story.

"Upon those days, I finally woke up, and the first person I saw was Mina." Samuel told them.

"Oh, so you thought you were dead, and saw an angel?" Murrue asked with somewhat a laugh.

"Actually yes." Samuel told her stopping the laugh. "But when she told me I was alive, for saving my own, I swore to protect her, so when Ghina, asked me to go to Morgenrete on Heliopolis, I asked that I get cloned so I could still protect Mina." He told them. "It was only a month ago I actually met Savir and the others." He told them.

"He doesn't clones start off at a embryoic stage?" Mwu wondered, as Savir nodded.

"Yes that is true Mwu, we were put through a life acceleration program, we are actually six months old, since we left the pods, we seem to age twice as fast as Samuel himself." Savir told him. "As we left the tube at what 17, and now we have 18 year old bodies?" Savir asked his peers.

"Well, it seems that even though you are illegal products, we can still use the help." Murrue told them. "We are running low on supplies, and it would really help if you all can try to think of something that can help us out of this mess." Murrue told them.

"Yes of course, that is the more important matter we have." Mina replied with her.

3 Days later, and no one has thought of an Idea to solve the low amount of supplies. The food would be alright, as they did have plenty of the stuff, however the water shortage was somewhat taking effect. Samuel and his clones were actually only haveing a cup of water every three days, putting their daily portions in a container giving anyone that wanted water somewhat of a drink from the container. Samuel although, was siting in the same room as Mina at the moment, as the four clones also shared the same room as them. Saxton was the only one missing from the room, as he went to grab a bite to eat for himself. "So, Savir, what is on that disc of yours?" Samuel wondered, as Savir then remembered about it.

"Oh yes, I forgot all about it." Savir replied, as he threw it towards Mina, who caught it with both hands. "Its for the Pillar of Heaven." he informed her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"The Umbrella information, when we get to a safe area to send information, I thought that be useful for the place." He explained.

"You have that information!" Samuel said shocked.

"Yeah, we got it when we went into Artemis to save you two." Saxen told them. "It will surely help with the Mobile Suit Factory, let alone if we could shrink this thing down, we could have some of the higher up machines use the shield." he told them.

"Now just to get it there." She commented as Samuel layed back. "Samuel you have any idea of what we're going to do about that water shortage?" she asked him, as he was laying against the wall.

"Nothing, however, I'm going to go and find out what action we are taking, according to the bridge." Samuel told them, as he left the room. Mina followed suit, in which Savir shrugged.

"You guys can do as you wish, I'll go with them." Savir told the others as they nodded, as they dispersed from the room. Each going their seperate ways, to see how they could help out with the current situation they were in.

As the Archangel, seriously has gone into a drought, as in the cafeteria, Mirrialia, Sai, Kuzzey, Flay, and Tolle were all having something to eat, well rather each of them besides Sai who was getting his food. Saxton had entered the room, as he was getting whispers upon hearing what and who of; of what he was. However, some of the newer generations were saying that they liked him because he gave them water. Tolle on the otherhand ate a piece of the meal he was given, however it seemed the food did not agree to go down for him. he began to pound his chest, as he called out for water. "W. . . Water!" Tolle got out.

"Oh geesh." Miriallia said with sarcasm towards Tolle. However, she did not want his face to change color so she gave him her portion of water, as Saxton just eyed Tolle. And once the glass was passed to him, Tolle chugged the small portion of water without thinking of the somewhat Drought they were in. To Tolle it seemed somewhat not enought.

"More. . . More water!" he asked for, as Saxton smacked him on the back of head. "Ow!" he called out, feeling the back of his head.

"Tolle, the kids don't even ask for water like that." Saxton told him, as he held his tray in one hand, and took a seat beside Flay, who oddly moved away from him. Saxton thought it was just because of what he was, however, she moved away from Sai as well.

"Seriously Tolle, this is not the time for gags with this water rationizing." Sai told his friend.

"Its not a gag dammit!" Tolle told him, with a normal sounding voice, being caught for what he was doing.

However, Sai noticed Flay was moving away from him, as he tried to sit closer to his fiance. "Whats wrong Flay?" He asked her, as Flay looked rather saddened.

"Because we are rationizing the water, I ended up not taking a shower yesterday." she told him, as Saxton sighed.

"Man, and I thought it was because of me." Saxton laughed, which earned him some stares from the other. However, that all stopped when Kira came in, knowing Kira was actually of washing the Strike, and with the shortage of water, that would be entertaining to see.

"Hey Kira, how was doing that maintenance work on the Strike?" Tolle asked the teen.

"Well, I couldn't clean it with the parts washing machine, so it was a real headache." Kira answered him. "I had to spend a lot of time on it." he joked, as Sai was nudgeing Flay, as a conversation they had a while ago from what she said at Artemis.

"Flay." Sai whispered, as she did not like being touched like that, for not having a shower.

However, she went to Kira, as Saxton was wondering what was going one himself. "Um, Kira." the red headed girl began. "I'm sorry for what I said on Artemis." She told him with a bow. "I said those things without thinking what would happen to you." she apologized. "I'm so sorry for saying your secret back at Artemis." She told him.

"Don't worry about that Flay." Kira told her, staring into her eyes as he said so. "I don't really mind about it now, as its all over." he told her. "After all, it is true." He joked with them, as Saxton nodded.

"You got that right Kira, besides, can't live a life on lies now can you?" Saxton asked all of them, as on the bridge, the water shortage discussion was needed to be brought to a close sometime soon.

Archangel Bridge:

The bridge's officers were discussing what sort of action they should take, because the water supply was indeed getting low. "Are you sure this is the best route we can take?" Natarle wondered, as on the map display, it showed various routes the Archangel could take, and with various of the lines going through the debris belt. "Isn't there a better route?" she asked her captain.

"The route is rather dangerous, if were not careful we could end up being part of it." Arnold told them, as Murrue nodded.

"However, if we take this route, we could use the orbit, to slingshot ourselves towards the moon getting us closer." Mwu told them,

"Are we sure, we cannot take another route?" Murrue asked, as Mwu then thought of something.

"A mountain of debris, created by humans since the ability to freely move in and out of space." Mwu began to tell them, "Its true we don't wanna to become part of it, but wait a minute." He commented earning looks from the others. "I'm a man who makes the impossible, possible" he commented. "Why don't we pass through it?" Mwu asked them, as each of them looked at him, as Samuel came in. "Hey Samuel, Mina, back me up on this little plan I just thought of." Mwu told them earning questionable looks from the two. "A mountain of debris, created by humans since the ability to freely move in and out of space." Mwu began to tell them, "Its true we don't wanna to become part of it, however, we could do a little something with it." He told them, "But first get the ones from Heliopolis up here, and the rest of your people miss Sahaku." Mwu told them.

A while later, each of the clones, and the students from heliopolis had all joined upon the bridge of the ship. Everyone was wondering what Mwu had meant, as his secret was going to spilled here, in a minor moment. "Resupply?" Sai questioned, as Mwu began to tell them his master plan for finishing the mess they were in. "Can we truly do so, if so where?" he asked, as Mwu stood behind the captains chair.

"Well something like that, rather than getting the supplies, its more like were going to be taking it." Mwu told them, as Samuel looked at him strangely.

"We are currently on route to the Debris belt, that orbits the Planet," Murrue gave them the information.

"The Debris belt, that means!" Sai called out, knowing somewhat of what they were getting at.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Mina asked, as she stood infront of Samuel, as he was actually floating in the bridge.

"Ahh, Mr. Argyle, you are indeed a brightone." Mwu joked.

"In the Debris belt, there are various, objects that have been left in space." Murrue dictated.

"So, we are going to become savengers now?" Samuel asked them, as Mwu nodded.

"Yes, as this place is littered of former battleships, and various other equipment that are no longer belong to anyone." Murrue answered for him.

"Are we really going to supply this way?" Tolle asked them.

"If it will solve our water shortage, I don't see why not. Otherwise we have no choice but to do so" Savir commented. As he had a different view of the subject than Samuel did have. "If we don't get our supplys this way, who knows how long we will go until the water runs dry." He somewhat explained, as he was with the two officers on this.

"Exactly, if we don't do this, we wont hold up much longer." Mwu told them, as Murrue nodded.

"And I want you students to help out with this." Murrue mentioned, as Samuel was equally surprised as the other students. "By operating the shuttles, to bring the Supplies here, when we found some."

Natarle then added in to help the teens mind somewhat. "I also don't look foreward to this." Natarle told them.

"However, we have no alternative in the matter." Samuel finally mentioned.

"Exactly, we are not trying to disturb the dead, just trying to make sure we don't become the dead." Murrue told the teens, who were somewhat beginning to understand. "We are just taking what we need, so we can live on."

PLANT Colony Aprilius One: Supreme Council room.

Athrun Zala sat as he waited for his commander to finish the field report of the events on heliopolis. "That is the report, and I hope you can understand. That the collapse of Heliopolis was unavoidable; and in the end, due to the Earth Forces actions creating it as a target." Rau, concluded to them, as various words were spread in the council.

Various of these members, were actually parents of the pilots in the Creuset team. Such as Tad Elsman, Yuri Amalfi, Ezalia Joule, and Patrick Zala, each of them parents of the team. "Commander Creuset. . ." Patrick Zala belowed, as Rau was turning to go sit with Athrun, however stopped by the command of Sir Zala. "Were those mobile suits, were they worth so much as to sacrifices to obtain them?" He asked.

"Sir, to regard the awesome power that they possess, I think we should hear it personally from a pilot of one of them." Rau Creuset motioned towards Athrun. "He has also faught with both the enemy units still with the Earth Forces." Rau told them. "In which , I appoint Athrun Zala to go further on this matter." he informed all of them.

With this, Sigel Clyne the supreme chairman looked at his friend Patrick Zala of the Defence committee. "Very well, we will hear from Athrun Zala." Siegel Clyne.

With this, Athrun Zala stood, walking towards the council table, and activated various monitors. "My Mobile Suits report are as follows, first is the GAT-X303 "Aegis". "One major characteristic is its transformation capability, allowing it to convert to a mobile armor for certain specialized roles. With its transforming frame, the GAT-X303 Aegis is fundamentally different from the other five machines." Combat data began streaming, and he began to point out the weapons. "In mobile suit mode, it is equipped with the CIWS Igelstellungs, four beam sabers, an anti-beam shield, and a high-energy focused beam rifle. In mobile armor form, its main weapon is the Scylla, a 580 millimeter multiphase energy cannon." A graphic was shown of it going from basic gray to its standard red. "One major technological advance used in these machines is Phase-shift armor. When in use, it puts a severe drain on the machine's energy battery, but it has compensations: this new armor is virtually impervious to physical weapons, and can only be pierced by energy weapons such as beam rifles and sabers."

The image changed, to Yzak's gray-and-blue machine. "GAT-X102: the Duel," Athrun continued. "The most basic of the six machines, this mobile suit is intended for close combat, and is believed to be the basis for the other five machines. It is the most lightly armed, having only CIWS, two beam sabers, and a beam rifle with attached grenade launcher."

He pointed out the next model, Dearka's green-and-tan unit. "GAT-X103 Buster. It possesses no close-range weapons, and appears to be intended for fire support and long-range sniper attacks. It is not equipped with a shield; however, it does have a 57 millimeter gun launcher, a high-energy focused beam rifle, and a pair of missile launchers, one in each shoulder. In the hands of an expert marksman, Buster is a lethal weapon."

The graphic switched to Nicol's menacing -black-and-red mobile suit. "GAT-X207: the Blitz. This model is equipped with a unique system known as Mirage Colloid, which covers the machine with colloid gas particles, held in place by an electromagnetic field, rendering Blitz virtually invisible to radar, infrared, and even the naked eye; however, power requirements mean it cannot be used while Phase-shift is active. Blitz is also equipped with the Gleipnir piercer lock, and the Trikeros offensive shield system, which consists of a beam rifle, beam saber, and three kinetic penetrator darts."

Athrun braced himself for what he was about to explain. "And finally, the one that got away." He altered the image, displaying Kira Yamato's machine. "GAT-X105 Strike. In the case of this model, we are limited to observational data alone, but we've already seen all of its various weapons in action. First, the machine itself is equipped with Igelstellungs, a beam rifle, and a pair of Armor Schneider combat knives, stored in the hips. Additionally, its loadout can be customized through the use of Striker packs, giving it added firepower, endurance, and maneuverability. Most versatile is the Aile package, which grants the Strike atmospheric flight capabilities and a pair of beam sabers, making it essentially an up-rated version of the Duel. The Launcher loadout, on the other hand, equips the machine with an antiship Vulcan cannon, a pair of gun launchers, and a 320 millimeter hyper-impulse cannon; as you can see from the combat data-" scenes from Heliopolis were playing "-it has power far in excess of any other mobile suit. Finally, the Sword Strike pack uses a fifteen-meter antiship sword, a rocket anchor, and a beam boomerang."

Then the picture changed one last time, to show a sixth machine. "The last machine, from what we can tell, it is not of the Earth Forces, as no information about it was able to be found." He told them, as the white and jade machine was seen on the screen. "We have however determined that the machine is called Jade Frame." Athrun continued as he then went into the armaments of the mobile suit. "Much like the Earth Forces Strike, we are limited to observation data given to us by Yzak Joule, and myself for fighting the machine ourselves." Athrun began. "This machine seems to be based off of the Strike itself, however, it can not driectly connect to the Strikes own weaponry." He continued.

"What do you mean by that Athrun?" Ezalia asked him.

That was when the video of the Jade Frame used the Strikes 320 mm hyper impulse cannon, without it directly connect to the machines back. "It seems that, the machine is capable of using the Strikes weaprony without connect, or disconneting any of its own. But now to the armaments, like the others, it is equipped with the Igelstellungs, beam rifle, and a beam shield, however unlike the Strike, this machine has its beam sabres mounted in its forearms. However like the strike it is able to be equipped with various packs, that seem to be like the Strikes." Athrun continued. "First is its Binsoku pack, however it does not come with any additional weaponry, it gives the machine Atmosphereic flight abilities, and enhanced maneuvers in space. The next one is Isei, which seems to be a somewhat downgrade of the Strikes Launcher pack, with the same weaponry, only less as powerful. Finally is its Subeta pack, which was seen in action by the Garnows own Mobile suits, it seems to be equipped, with smaller equipment than the Strikes own sword pack, even though its only downgraded, it is still a lethal machine." He continued, takeing a breather. "However!" he told them, getting their attentions. "This machine has the uncanny ability to combine its equipment." He told them. With that, the screen of when the Archangel was heading to to Artemis, it showed the Jade Frame, with the Binsoku Isei version of a pack. "Unlike the Strike, this machine can equip more than one pack, and as each of its packs contains an extra battery of energy, the machine has the longest life of any of the Stolen weapons." Athrun finished. As he gave a salute to the council.

Elsman seemed to be in anger with such weaponry existing. "Making a machine like that. . . Those Damn Naturals!" he nearly yelled.

"But they are all still in the testing phase aren't they?" Eileen Carver asked. "They are only six mobile suits, and only two of them belong to the Earth Forces." she commented. "The other four are actually ours, so how can two machines pose as a danger?" she asked.

Ezalia Joule then brought up the biggest reason for why they can be dangerous. "And they are only a step away from mass producing them." She called out. "Are you trying to say that we wait, and panic when it happens?" she asked the council.

"Is this the Naturals, revealing their true intentions!" Another council member called out. "They are actually planning, for large-scale warfare" And with this, the entire room came ablazed with chatter.

Archangel: Debris Belt Space

The Strike equipped with its Aile pack, flew with the Jade Frame, and its Binsoku pack equipped. The Two machines were scoping out the area, and providing escort to the MAW-01 Mistral pod, which were being piloted by various Archangel Crew members, and a few had Samuels clones at the controls. Samuel felt weird flying through the debris belt. Each of the machines knew exactly that the flight was very dangerous, with all the floating debris, of old Mobile suits, battleships, and various other things. "Kira, I'm going on ahead, to get a better view of the area." Samuel radioed, as Kira in the Strike nodded, as the additional thrusters for the Jade Frame kicked in, allowing the Jade Frame to fly ahead of the group.

Upon a short while later, Samuel came upon something he never truly expected to see, in all his life. Infront of him were the remains of the PLANT colony, Junius Seven. "No, not, this can't be." Samuel said in shock, as the Jade Frame floated infront of the giant colony. That was when various emotions hit him from inside his own mind. Various pictures flew through and through his mind, as one came to his mind that would forever burn within it. The picture of the colony itself, ignite in a blaze as a Nuclear Missile hit the colony, and the blinding light that filled within his mind. "No, no no." Samuel kept repeating, as he slammed on hand into the side controls of the mobile suit.

"_Samuel!"_ Mwu called over the radio. "_Samuel whats wrong!"_ He franticly called, as Samuel held his head, seeing images of friends beside him blowing up, as the blast of the missile reached the machine he was in. As he was in a traumatic state within the machine, the Strike and the Mistrals all arived beside the Jade Frame, each of their occupants starring in horror, of the bloody valentine tragedy.

"_Kira, I don't think Samuel is fit to fly back, please escort the Jade Frame back to the ship."_ Mwu told him, with some sadness in his voice, as he saw the once known colony. Everyone were looking on in horror, of the giant once known colony, as Mina did as well, seeing the horror, of what Samuel had described to her once before.

Each of the clones of Samuel, however were feeling intence anger, even if it was a PLANT, home of coordinators, the Earth Alliance had no true right to destroy such a peaceful place. Which was a place, where two hundred and forty three thousand, seven hundred and twenty-one lives were lost. Which was nearly only one year ago.

Various members of the Mistrals, searched through the ruins of the place, as Samuel still holding his head, looking at what once use to be a peaceful land to live.

In the ruins, Kira, Tolle, Mir, and even Natarle came into a room, only to see a dead mother, holding her child in her arms, almost protecting the child. "And so, even in death, the mother protects her child." Samuru commented seeing the lifeless bodies.

A while later, Samuel was takin to his room, where Mina, and Saxen were with him. As on the bridge the discovery of water has been found in Junius Seven. As on the bridge, "No Way, You can't be serious!" Kira called out, as he looked right at Natarle.

"That place has over ten billion tons of frozen water," she told them, even though everyone felt hurt, after hearing what Samuel was actually going through when he saw the place, even without symphony towards Samuel, taking the water from a murdered colony just felt wrong to everyone. "Even though, we are running low on water"

"But Natarle, that place is a graveyard, for thousands of people, you saw it as well didn't you?" Kira asked her. "Using there water is. . ." Kira continued to protest.

"Kira, that is the only place where we have found water," Murrue told him.

"Exactly, its not like anyone here is cheering, and jumping saying 'We have found water!'" Mwu told him.

"Lieutenant." Kira said, not believeing what he just heard from Mwu.

"If at all possible, no one would want to go there, but we have no choice." the blonde soldier told them.

"I agree, with Flaga, sure this all feels wrong, but the dead wants the living to keep on living." Saxen told them all.

"Exactly, we are alive, and our goal is to stay alive." Mwu told them all, as reluctantly, everyone eventually agreed.

"Now, Savir, what is going on with Samuel?" Murrue asked, as everyone were worried about him, he did seem rather weird when he found the colony.

"As far as the storys we have heard, before he came into the care of the Sahaku's." Savir began. "He was a mobile armor pilot, not very well known, but he took place in the battle. When he saw the Earth Forces attack the PLANT with a missile, he betrayed them, and tried to save the colony from the missile itself." Savir explained, telling them the story. "His Mobile Armor was heavily damaged, and it re entered Earth, how it survived we don't know, all we do know is that only remains of the Mobius was found." Savir told them.

"So, he tried to save the colony but failed?" Tolle asked.

"Exactly, and I have a feeling when he saw the colony, those bad memories returned." He told them.

Crew Quarters Archangel

Samuel was with Mina, and Saxen who each were right beside him. "Damn, I never thought I see this place again." Samuel told them, as Mina understood what he meant, she knew he tried to save the colony.

"Are you willing to go back out there?" Mina asked him, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for worry about me." He told her, as she nodded to him.

"If you want to stay behind, we can get one of the others to pilot the machine." She told him, "Even me if need be." she told him.

"No, it be to dangerous, the place is crawling with potential dangers, and I don't want you to go into that kind of danger." Samuel told her. "I will go back out there, so I can face the sins I let happen." He told her, as he then saw outside the doorway, various children, and even the students of Heiliopolis were carrying sheets of papers in their arms.

He then saw Flay going by, "Flay!" he called out. She turned to him, looking at the man, "Whats going on?" he asked her.

"Oh, we are making Orgami flowers to spread across the colony." She told him, as she then left, with a few children right behind her.

After a few hours, the Jade Frame, Strike, and several Mistrals had landed on the rim of the colony, as each of the occupants of the machines, floated or stood infront of them. Mirilallia held an arm full, and they were indeed full of oragami flowers. As tears were shed from everyone in the area, and salutes were given by the military personnel, Mir let all of the flowers go, as they littered the area of the colony. Each and every single person gave a moment of silence to the dead, of a day that was to celebrate Love, not death.

A short while later, all the machines were working on getting the giant Ice blocks, to be taken to the Archangel. Various transmissions were going through upon the status of the salvaging on the Ice. "_How much longer will it take?_" Murrue's voice asked the workers, as the Jade and Strike were both patrolling the area. The Jade Frame even came buy what looked like to be a part of a GINN Highmaneuver type I, with customized features to it. However the machine seemed to be sliced by a normal sword, and above the cockpit no less. And the only part of it seen was its top half.

"_About another four hours._" One of the pilots radioed. "_We will need to resupply ammunition in one hour_." The transmissions continued, as from one point of view, Kira found a shuttle, which seemed to be of damaged recently. As for Samuel, he also seen it, from a different visual point. However, for him, he saw a GINN recon type flying around it.

"Ginn Reconnaissance type." Samuel told himself. "Kira, you hear me?" Samuel asked.

"_Yes._" Kira replied.

"We have a GINN nearby, straight ahead of you, take shelter before it sees the strike." Samuel told him, as both machines were using a piece of Debris to hide behind as the GINN flew around the ship. Samuel got his machine to zoom in, seeing the name that was labeled on the side of the ship. "SIlverwind, where have I heard that before?" he asked himself.

"Is that a civlian shuttle?" Kira asked, as both of the machines were watching as the GINN searched the wreckage of the shuttle.

"Yeah, and that GINN seems to be searching for something." Samuel commented, as he looked at the GINN. "If that mobile suit sees anything of ours, we are in deep trouble." With that, from two different angles, both of the mobile suits, aimed at the GINN. And also with the two machines locking onto it.

"Go, go away." Kira pleaded, as he did not want to shoot the GINN down. "Get out of here." he continued, as Samuel was hoping for the same thing. "Yes, its leaving." Kira sighed some relief. But the relief came to soon, as the GINN, saw one of the Mistrals. And with that, came in to investigate. "SAMUEL, he spotted one of the Mistrals!" Kira called out.

With that Samuel went for it, as he made himself known to the GINN as it opened fire twice on the Mistral. Kira and Samuel both made their move, "Your not hurting our friends!" The two of them cried, as two shots from both machines shot the machine. Even though the pilot was killed the GINN floated for a few seconds before going up in flames. "So, another one joins the graveyard." Samuel commented, as the sounds of Chandra and Kuzzey filled the radio.

"_Thanks guys!_" Kuzzey called out relieved.

"_Yeah, I thought we be dead for sure_." Chandra told them.

However, in the Strike, Kira felt hurt bad, as he just took another life. "Damn!" he cried hitting both of his forearms onto the panel. That was when another thing came up on his screen, it was a lifepod. "A life pod?" Kira wondered, as he went to investigate it.

A short while later, everyone worth mentioning were all in the hangar, waiting infront of the lifepod Kira had brought aboard. Natarle looked at Kira with a stern look, and shook her head with amusement. "You sure like to bring things back with you don't you." She told him.

"Maybe the Junkguild would like to have Kira be employed to them." Samuel smirked, as he stood with Mina, and his clones.

"Ok, I'm opening it now." Murdoch called from the pods controls. And with that, four armed soldiers took aim at the pod. As soon as the pod opened, a small pink ball came flying out, as with Samuels eyes, went wide, as he slipped unnoticed out of the hangar. Everyone were in shock to see the contraption, then the voice of a teenage girl filled the room.

"Thank you! Your assistance is very much appreicated!" the voice told them, as Lacus Clyne wearing a flowing dress emerged from the pod, with everyone surprised, as Lacus Clyne has come aboard the Archangel.

A/N: Ok, another chapter done, and Lacus Clyne has appeared. Some more parts of Samuels immidiate past has emerged in this chapter, and it seems he somehow knows Lacus Clyne, and why has he left the room before she made her full appearance? Only time and future chapters can tell what secrets this Orb Engineer holds..


	6. Chapter 06: The Princess of the Zodiac

Chapter 06: The Princess of the Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides the Jade Frame, Samuel, and his clones, as they are not the Socius Clones.

Archangel Hangar:

The pink princess known as Lacus Clyne floated in the hangar of the Archangel as the soldiers stared at the girl with aw. Her long pink hair flowed in the zero gravity hangar with her long purple dress right behind her. "Thank you! Your assistance is very much appreciated!" Lacus called out, as it seemed Mina began to recognize her.

"Lacus?" Mina wondered as the girl floated in the area.

"Miss Sahaku? You know this girl?" Natarle asked the Orb Noble.

"Of course, its not hard for Nobles to know each other after all." Mina told the ensign, as she looked at the pink haired girl float over to Kira, who stopped her from floating away.

"Thank you." was all Lacus said to Kira as he looked at her. She looked throughout the entire room, until she saw one person that her father has met with several times before. "Miss Sahaku!" she called surprised as even though Mina was suppose to have body guards, all five of them have vanished from the hangar.

"Hey has anyone seen Samuel or the others?" Mwu asked, as everyone looked around, and none of them saw any of the clones, or even the host of them.

"Samuel who?" Lacus asked wondering what they even meant. As she looked around to get in her surroundings, as she saw the two mobile suits in the hangar, which she thought were ZAFT machines. But then, she looked at the insignia upon Kira's arm, noticing it was the symbol of the Earth forces. "Oh my, this isn't a ZAFT ship is it?" she asked.

"Oh NO!" the pink ball that arrived with her called out. Everyone were confused with why she asked that.

As Natarle placed her head in one of her hands. _'Oh joy, things just keep getting more interesting with this ship_.'

"Uh, no it isn't." Mina told her with ease in her voice. _'Just what the heck is she doing way out here?_' she asked herself, as over in a corner, Samuel peered towards Lacus.

"Damn, this is not good." Samuel commented, as the Clones he moved aside from the hangar gave him rather weird looks.

Crew Quarters, Lacus Clyne's room

Lacus sat in one chair, as Murrue sat in another with both Mwu and Natarle standing, with all six of the officers eyes staring at Miss Clyne. Mina also stood in the room, standing as she leaned against one of the beds. "Thank you very much for recovering my pod." Lacus thanked each of the soldiers. "My name is Lacus Clyne." she told them, introducing herself.

"Hello Lacus, Hello!" The pink ball called out.

"This is my friend Haro." Lacus introduced her little pink ball.

"Hello Hello!" it told them.

"Oh geesh." Mwu said as each of them felt as though a lot of weight has been piled upon their shoulders.

"_Shut up Tolle!_" Sai's voice muffled through the door, as Natarle went over to the door and opened it, to see Tolle, Sai, Chandra, and Jackie all listening in on the conversation.

"Don't you all have work to do?" She asked the spies, who left from where they were to where they should be. "Go, get back to work!" she called to them, having them all rush down the hall. With that, Lacus saw Kira and waved to the young man, right until Natarle closed the door again.

"Clyne huh." Mwu said still a little be wildered from what the young girls name was. "The current Chairman of the PLANTs is named Siegel Clyne." Mwu informed the two female officers.

"That is correct Mwu. And Siegel is. . ." Mina began.

"Siegel Clyne is my Father." Lacus told the three Earth Forces soldiers. "Do you know him. . . Mwu is it?" she asked the mobile armor pilot. Mwu just placed his hand on his head, signaling that she is saying all the wrong things to Earth Forces.

Everyone sighed, as Murrue leaned back in her seat. "Tell me miss Clyne, just what were you doing here in the Debris belt?" she asked.

"Something I also want to know old friend." Mina commented as Lacus looked over to the Sahaku.

"I see, I was sent out here for the prelimiaries of the bloody valentine memorial for Junius Seven." Lacus told the four of them. "However, the ship I was on came into contact with Earth Forces ships." She began to explain. "We told them we were a civlian ship, but they asked for a inspection. However when they found out what we were doing here, it led to a fire fight inside the ship, as Mobile Armors also began to attack." Lacus began. "I saw the mobile suit only for a second, and it look like one of the mobile suits in your hangar." she told the four of them, as Mina looked at her.

"Which one, from you were standing, the one on the left or the right?" Mina asked her, as Lacus tried to think of which one.

"The one on the left." Lacus told them, which meant the machine looked like the Jade Frame.

"That can't be the others went missing when. . ." Mina began stopping as Natarle looked at her. "I am guessing I should continue." She then told them of the four machines that Orb was building for the military, the Gold, Red, Blue, and Jade Frames. "Please Lacus, what color was the machine if you can remember?" Mina asked the girl.

"Oh, I think it was Red, it certainly looked like that color." Lacus told her.

"So, that one survived." Mina commented.

"So your telling us, Samuels machine is not the only one that still exists?" Murrue asked.

"Yes, as far as we know, and from What Samuel told me, at least the Gold and Jade Frames were still running, however now, it seems the Red Frame is also in use." Mina told them. "However, neither of us know who is piloting them."

"I see." Murrue sighed.

"I hope everyone else are safe." Lacus almost whispered, just hoping. "I was shoved into the pod alone, for my own safety." She told the others. No one wanted to tell her from Samuels and Kira's report, that the ship she spoke of is nothing but a part of the Debris belt now.

"I see, well Miss Clyne, don't think that all of the Earth Alliance is like that, as for one this ship doesn't hold a grudge to the PLANTs, so we will be treating you as a guest, and I will see to it that the people on this ship will do the same thing." Murrue informed the pink haired girl.

"Thank you Captain." Lacus told her with a smile.

"This will be your room for the duration of the stay." Murrue told her. "Please tell us, if there is anything you want just let us know." Murrue told her, as each of the officers left.

"Lacus, I would like to speak with you." Mina told her, as she stayed behind with the door closing behind the Earth Forces officers, as the door closed leaving the two girls to discuss things in private.

Archangel Crew Quarters Samuel's & Mina's quarters

About an hour later, Mina entered her own room, as she saw Samuel sitting on a bed, as he looked up at her. "Samuel, there you are, I haven't seen you since before we opened the pod." Mina said surprised.

"Yeah, its because she knows me, the true me, and I can't let these people know that." Samuel told her as Mina nodded.

"I understand, even though I told her about you, everything, and she agreed to call you Samuel, and pretend you have just met." She told him as Samuel nodded.

"Alright, did she say anything else?" he asked the woman he cared for.

"It seems one of the prototypes besides yours and the Gold Frame lived through Heliopolis." she informed him, as Samuel looked at her with complete shock in his eyes. "I believe miss Clyne said it was the Red Frame."

"So, three of the four have survived, I wonder if the Blue has done so as well." He hoped, as he looked at Mina. "And I have a strange feeling, we will have a lot of trouble having Lacus aboard this ship." Samuel told her.

"I wonder, that Ginn, the two of you shot down, could it have been?" Mina asked him.

"Yeah, I have a strong feeling, that is exactly what it was doing." he commented, knowing things were going to get hectic.

Archangel Corridors, Near the Cafeteria

Kira walked down the halls of the ship, wondering of that Girl they had saved from floating in space. "That Ginn!" he called to himself, as he remembered the Recon Ginn they had destroyed. "Was it looking for her?" he asked himself.

"No Way!" Flays voice called from the corner.

"Flay!" Mir said almost angry to the red headed girl.

"I said NO!" she shouted, as in the Cafeteria, one of Samuels clones, Samuru flipped a knife in his hand over and over again blade to handle, handle to blade. Kuzzey kept his arms crossed, as Kira came in behind him.

"Whats going on?" Kira asked his friend.

"Its food for that girl." Kuzzey told him. "Mir wants Flay to take the food to her, but Flay doesn't want to." he explained. "They are both upset because of this."

"I don't want to take that to her!" Flay told Mir as Mir just looked flustered with what was going on. "I'm to afraid." she confessed.

"Afraid of what?" Mir asked the red headed girl, who wasn't wearing an Earth Forces uniform.

"No offence Kira, but you know how Coordinators are." Flay told Mir after turning away from Kira. "She is of ZAFT isn't she?" She asked.

"She is not a soldier Flay." Mir pointed out, as Samuru got up, rolling his eyes.

"Shes scared, because of what strengths the gene splicing can do to a person before their birth." He commented with his eyes rolling.

"Exactly, what if something goes wrong." she said with concern. "She could just lash out and attack me."

"I don't think that girl would attack you all of a sudden." Kuzzey told her.

"You can't know that for sure." Flay told him. "You can't tell what a coordinator can do just by looking at them. What if she is really strong?" She said with Concern.

"Fine, Mir give me the damn plate, I'll take it to her." Samuru told them, as he grabbed the tray.

"My, who's this really strong person you are speaking of?" A voice asked, that even caused Samuru drop the tray with surprise.

"Hello Haro" the pink ball said bobbing back and forth. Each one of them stared at her with surprise wondering what the heck she was even doing here.

"Miss Lacus?" Samuru said with surprise.

Archangel, Bridge.

"Samuel, so you decided to come out of hiding." Mwu joked, as Samuel and Mina both came onto the bridge, with Savir in toe.

"Funny Mwu." Samuel smirked as he landed infront of the Captain.

"What happened to you in the hangar?" he asked the young man, as Mina came down with her looser clothing flowing behind her.

"Easy lieutenant, he has stage fright when he comes into contact with pop singers, you know how fans are." She told him. "Besides, he always vanishes when his heart starts to really pound around a girl he doesn't know that well." She told him with a smirk.

"Well, what of the songstress?" Samuel asked the Captain and Lieutenant.

"Right that, and I thought I solved our little supply problem." Mwu shrugged, as he went over to a railing and leaned against it. "Now we have to deal with the pink princess." he continued.

"A lot of predicaments this ship seems to come to." Mina commented. "First it was Heliopolis, then me, after that Artemis, and now this." She said shaking her head as Savir smirked, as he was believing this.

"There is just no end to our worries." Mwu told them, "What a lovely treat we are in captain." he said with a sly smile as he gave Murrue a salute.

"However, it doesn't look like we have much to choice but to take the two of you, Samuels Clones, and her to Ptolemous. Even if she is a civilian" Murrue reluctantly told each of them.

"Which is bad news for us, because they'll want to know about the Jade Frame." Samuel told each of them, as Mina nodded, looking at the Planet from the bridge's viewport.

"We have no other choice now do we?" Mwu asked them, as Natarle came from the CIC area.

"However, my main concern." Mina began. "Is how your people will treat miss Clyne, she is a second generation coordinator after all."

"They will proably give her a big welcome, even though it wont be with open arms." Mwu commented to them, almost worried for the girl. Especially, he was a part of a foolish use of a system that whiped out by his own, and enemy forces. Rumored to be triggered by his commanding officers. "After all, she is the daughter of Chairman Sigel Clyne." He told everyone, "They will find many ways to use her."

"If it's even possible, I don't want to put any of our pickups to go through that." Murrue told them, as Mina wondered what she meant.

"What is it that you mean?" Mina asked the older woman.

"For you Mina, they could hold you hostage to force Orb to join even though its against Protocol to do so." Murrue explained. "I Can't let that happen, to either you, or that young girl."

"If you say that Captain, what about the volunteers, or Samuel himself" Natarle mentioned to them. "They have volunteered, and have joined in battle after battle since they came aboard this ship. They are civlians as well after all."

"Ensign Badgiruel!" Murrue called, almost in protest.

"Even though you don't want to admit it Captain, but you made Kira Yamato the pilot of the Strike, Samuel here volunteered to pilot the mobile suit he brought along, however Kira we pretty much foced him to go into its cockpit." She told her. "Even though you didn't wish it, you have put them in a permanent spot in this war." Natarle pointed out to her.

"I actually have to agree with miss Badgiruel, you see, she is right, you did allow them to volunteer right into this war, their fates are now the fates of this ship as well." Samuel commented, as he looked over to Tolle, and Sai who was behind the captain.

"And now, all your saying is that you don't want to get that girl involved, and these two?" She asked which she pointed out what Murrue was saying. Everyone looked at the Captain to see what she says from this, however she was silent. "She is Clynes Daughter, which means, she is not an ordinary civilian."

"A lot of people are not as ordinary as you think." Samuel commented with his arms crossed.

Archangel Cafeteria:

Samuru, Kuzzey, Flay, Miriallia, and Kira all stared amazed to see Lacus, especially as her door was locked. "Oh, I'm sorry if I am causing a commotion." Lacus told the Cafeteria, with a bewildered tone. "I got thirsty, and please don't laugh at me, but am really hungry to, then I heard your voices about some food, so I followed them, and here I am." She said leaning her head with a smile while walking towards Flay and Mir, who were infront of the counter. "So this is the Cafeteria?" she asked, as the pink ball bounced up and down. "I'd be happy if I could get something to eat." She suggested. "Oh my Samuel?" she asked seeing Samuru.

"No, miss Clyne its Samuru." He told her.

"Wait!" Kira shouted after her.

"They didn't lock your door?" Kuzzey asked her.

"Wha. . . Whats going on, why is this ZAFT girl walking around the ship without permission?" Flay asked out loud, as the girl got closer and closer to her.

"Oh, I didn't leave without permission." Lacus calmly told the red headed girl. "I leaned out into the hall, and asked 'Hey is it ok if I can come out?" Lacus told her. "I did this three times, but no answer." She informed all of them. "And I'm not with ZAFT." she told Flay, who still was freaked out seeing this female coordinator. Even though, Flay didn't know, that they already were with a female coordinator. "ZAFT, is the name of the military, it stands for, Zodiac Alliance of Freed. . ." she was cut off as Flay shouted.

"You, you're all the same, you are coordinators!" Flay told her, as walking down the hall, Mina and Samuel were beginning to hear this conversation. The two of them stopped to listen outside the cafeteria hatchway.

"We are not the same." Lacus told her, "Even though I am a coordinator, I am not of the military." She informed the teenage girl. Everyone was silent and just stareing at the pink princess. "You are not military correct?" She asked them breaking the silence. "If so, then we are the same." She told the, walking up to Flay. "I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced to each other," Lacus told Flay as she extended her hand. "My name is. . ."

"No, No! Stop it!" Flay shouted. Everyone was shocked from Flay's outburst. "Why do I have to shake hands with someone like you?" She asked, the bewildered girl. "Just Leave me alone, I don't want any Coordinators Acting Friendly with me!" She shouted, as Mina went wide eyed hearing this, as Lacus was ever more bewildered, while Kira was completely surprised.

Samuel just lowered his head as he thought of what he thought about Flay. "So she is that mans daughter, so she is George Allisters Daughter." Samuel told them, as Mina looked at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"George Allister, is a supporter for those Racists known as Blue Cosmos, and there is nothing I hate more than Racists Jackasses." Was all Samuel told her, as in the Cafeteria, Samuru, was read to draw one of his knives. Without anyting else happening, Kira took Lacus out of there, before Flay went nuts on Lacus. Only because of the influence of her own fathers racism that rubbed off on her.

As Kira took Lacus back to her room, with a tray of food in his hands, Kuzzey, Mir, and Flay were the only ones left in the Cafeteria. "Flay? Are you with Blue Cosmos?" Kuzzey asked her, wondering what she feels like to coordinators, and even Kira.

"No, I'm not with them, bit, what those people do, it's not wrong is it?" She asked her two friends. "They had their genes altered, even though they are not sick or anything." Flay pointed out, what a Coordinator is. "They go against nature, Their existence is wrong." She continued, saying what Blue Cosmos, and her father had filled her head with. "Are we all not thinking the same thing?" She asked the both of them. With that, the two were both silent.

However, during this time, Kira took Lacus back to her room, however Samuel, and Mina floated behind them, with Savir and Samuru behind them. "Kira, Miss Clyne!" Mina called as she floated up to them.

"L'ady Sahaku." Kira said surprised.

"I heard what Flay said." Mina told him, as Kira looked at the food. "Listen Kira, don't think that way about her, she doesn't know what we are truly like." She told him.

"We?" Kira asked, as he looked at the noble woman.

"Please, don't mention this to anyone else on the ship you two." Mina told the two Coordinators. "But, I am as well a Coordinator, and that also means my twin brother is one as well." She told them.

"I see, so you have been hiding the truth since Samuel brought you aboard?" Kira asked her as she nodded. "I see why you have then." he told her. "Otherwise they would have asked you to pilot the Strike, which is no place for someone like you." Kira told her as she smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Kira, but even without my guards, I can take care of myself." She told him.

"Its been a long time Lacus." Samuel commented, as Mina and Kira continued their own conversation.

"Oh, my Samo. . . Samuel was it? it sure has been a long while, how is that other girl?" She asked him.

"Oh her, I don't know, I haven't seen her for a long while, all I truly remember about her though is that you two sound a lot like each other, but well. Nevermind." Samuel told her. "Did you actually forgive me for breaking us up?" he asked her, which caught the attention of both Mina, and Kira.

"What you two were together?" Mina asked, as Lacus nodded.

"Yes, Samuel and I, we were together back during early of our Teen years. However we broke up, we were just not meant for each other." Lacus told her. With that, they all got to her room. "Do I really have to stay here?" she asked the others, as Samuel and Kira nodded.

"Yeah, it seems to be that way miss Clyne." Kira told her, as all four of them went into the room, as the two clones waited outside the door.

"But its so boring, I'm all alone in here, all the time, I want to talk to everyone, like those people in the cafeteria." She told them.

"We know Lacus, but its safer for you in here, as you noticed that girls behaviour, its basicly just for your safety." Samuel told his once upon a time girlfriend.

"Yeah, and that this is a Earth Forces ship." Kira pointed out to them. "I'm still amazed that they haven't found out about you L'ady Sahaku." Kira told the darker haired woman.

"Please Kira, just call me Mina, my being a Noble doesn't really help what I am on this ship." She told the teenager.

"Well besides, some people on this ship don't like coordinators, besides, we are in the middle of a war." Kira told them, as Samuel nodded.

"A war of racism." Samuel sarcasticly told them. "Thats why I like Orb so much, they suck up their pride, and live together." Samuel commented looking to the ceiling.

"I see." Lacus commented as her little ball jumped into her hands. "But Mr. Yamato, you are very kind." she pointed out. Kira almost began to blush, however hid it successfully. Lacus was indeed a beautiful girl, but for some reason, he was not attracted to her in that way.

"Well, its because. . ." Kira tried to tell her.

"Its because he is a coordinator as well." Samuel told her. "Its funny, I'm the only one that doesn't belong in this room." he commented.

"What do you mean by that?" Lacus asked him.

"Its nothing." he replied to her as she looked at him a bit confused for what he was saying.

"What was your name again?" She asked Kira.

"Kira, Kira Yamato." he told her.

"Well, Mr Yamato, you are kind, because its the way you are right?" she asked him.

After a conversation, between the four, Kira, Samuel, Mina all emerge from the room, to be greated by Sai Argyle. "Kira!" Sai called, as he knew Kira was around for that thing with Flay earlier. "I heard from Mir, about what happened with Flay." Sai told him, as Kira looked away. "Don't worry about it." he told the Strike pilot. "I'll talk to Flay and get this straightened out."

"_In this Quiet Night, I'm waiting for you._" Lacus sang as her voice could be heard through the door to the outsides ears. "_During that time, your smile has faded away, Now that a little time has passed, Fond memories start to resurface. At the place where stars fall, I'm always wishing for your laughter. Even though we're apart now We can meet again, From when has my smile faded this much _

_Since it was shattered by one mistake Change only the precious things into light and Go beyond the sky with fortitude."_

_"_Is that girl singing?" Sai asked as he never heard something so peaceful. "Such a wonderful voice, Could it have something to do with what happened to her before birth?" Sai asked as he floated away.

"_To the place where stars fall, I want my thoughts to reach you. I am always by your side Since I will embrace that coldness. Even though we're apart now, We will definitely be back together. In the quiet night..._" Lacus sang, as the Archangel flew through space.

"Come on Kira, we need something to eat as well." Sai told him.

"Well, that was certainly interesting, I thought for sure she was going to spill it to him." Samuel commented as he saw Kira leaving him and the others.

"Well, Miss Clyne can be unpredictable sometimes." Mina commented on that.

Debris Belt Space, Nazca Class cruiser Vesailius bridge.

Rau Le Creuset, floated over to beside Captain of the ship Ades, however Rau was the supreme commander of the ships forces. "Whats the report Ades?" Rau asked the captain.

"It looks like a Earth Forces fleet." he informed his commander. "I wonder what they are doing way out here." Rau took off towards the layout of the area.

"If that ship is heading to their lunar base, and left Artemis in a hurry, where would they be?" Rau asked, speaking of the legged ship.

"Commander, are you suggesting, this Fleet is heading to resupply the Legged ship?" Ades asked the commander.

"Yes, and apparently, we haven't been detected yet, Don't lose them, and follow with caution." Rau told the captain.

"Us, but what of Miss Clyne?" Ades asked.

"Of course, our search will continue to look for miss Clyne, but, we can't miss this opportunity, just because of one girl." Rau pointed out. "I myself, don't want to be the laughing stock to future historians."

Archangel Bridge:

On the Bridge, Pal was idly sipping at a drink container when his console began to beep. "Hm?" He released his grip on the container of liquid allowing it to float in the air, and focused his attention on his station and, rapidly typing commands. "Captain?" he called out.

Ramius turned. "What is, Mr. Pal?"

"We're receiving a transmission, Ma'am." Instantly, Ramius and Badgiruel were at his side, and Pal pointed at the screen. "There's no doubt about it. This is a coded pulse from the Earth Forces' Eighth Fleet."

The Captain's expression brightened. "Can you pull it in?"

"Doing it right now. Analyzing... decrypting... there."

The message was broken up by interference, but still partially understandable. _"This... Earth Forces EighthFleet... _Archangel_, respond. This is... _Montgomery_... and _Law_. Rendezvous at these coordinates."_

"They're under Admiral Halberton's command!" Ramius said in relief.

The Bridge crew all began speaking at once. "The _Montgomery_... that's Koopman's ship, right?"

"We've made it!"

"Nothing's going to stop us now!"

It looked like the Earth Alliance Forces Mobile Assault Ship _Archangel_was finally out of danger, after two long weeks fleeing ZAFT Forces. Once this advance force reached them, the enemy wouldn't dare attack.

Archangel, Samuel & Mina's quarters

That was when Saxton came floating down the hall and floating into the room. _"Samuel, Mina. News from the bridge, they have made contact with the Eight Fleets Montgomery." Saxton told them, as Savir chuckled._

"So, they finally found us, that is good I guess, and the eighth fleet no less. That group isn't as racist as the rest of the alliance." Savir commented.

Archangel Bridge, a short while later, after getting the Coordinates.

"Bearing, 45, Mark 10, heading towards point alpha, Route correction completed, Thrust at 60" Arnold Truman relayed, as the ship began to head to its new destination. As throughout the ship, people were wondering, if they could truly and finally relax. Every person were getting the good news, especially Flay, as her father was with the advance fleet.

Archangel Hangar.

Samuel floated into the hangar, as he went for the Jade Frame, for Orbs reasons, to lock the OS on the Jade Frame. "Sorry I'm late!" Kira called to Murdoch, who was working on the Strike.

"Hey Kid, I've changed the values on the geometry so take a look at it, will you?" Murdoch asked, as Samuel finally saw his machine was complete, and still alright, even from being in the Debris belt.

"Yes, of course." Kira told the older mechanic.

Murdoch however looked up at the upper body of the giant machine. "We may not even have any use for this thing anymore." he commented.

"Don't believe everything is that easy Murdoch. Remember, one must expect the unexpected." Samuel called over, as he climbed into his machines open cockpit.

However, in her room, Lacus played with the little pink ball infront of her. "How are you doing?" the small ball asked.

Lacus giggled a bit at her little pet. "Haro, the true question is where are we heading?" She asked it.

"Uh Oh, we'll be late!" It called out, as the entire ship were eagerly waiting to join up with the advance fleet heading their way, as they are heading its way. However, unknown to all of them, the Vesailius was coming their way.

A/N: Ok, some more of Samuels past has emerged, he has dated Lacus in the past, but they broke up. However he also mentioned another girl he dated, which who sounded like Lacus a lot, hmm I wonder who that once was. However, I promise, the next chapter, a large portion of Samuels past will come to the light.

Alrighty, thanks for all who has been reviewing, and I hope to see more of them, any suggestions you like to make of this fic, ask away, and I will contemplate in my head whether to do just that or not.


	7. Chapter 07: Spilled Beans

Chapter 07: Spilled Beans

* * *

Archangel

The entire ship which was known as the Archangel flew through space with easement in its crews hearts, heading towards a rendezvous point with the advance fleet. A short while ago, the announcement was sent all over the ship for the new mission. Samuel wondered what exactly is to happen, as he sat in the cockpit of his machine. While everyone else were happy, and cheerful, he continued with his work. "Hey kid, why are you still working at this time?" Murdoch called, as he floated over to the cockpit of the Jade Frame.

"Its been to long since we lost ZAFT, and from my perspective, if any near by ship had detected the advance fleet, they will most likley check out the action." Samuel answered him not knowing how right he was. "And to be ready, as Mina's bodyguard for as long as she is aboard, I am going to protect this ship. Even if they don't want us to fight, I will go, to protect her." he commented, as he checked the overhead displays, and continued to type on the keyboard.

"I see." Murdoch commented. "Miss Sahaku, she means a lot to you doesn't she?" He asked, as Samuel nodded a yes.

"Of Course, why do you think I got cloned?" Samuel told him with a smirk, as he continued to type on the keyboard.

"I see, that reminds me Sam, how did they clone you?" Murdoch asked the white haired pilot.

"Hard to explain really, but to make a long story short, we used Mendel's tech, by taking it to the, Ame-no-Mihashira." Samuel answered him. "And that is all I can truly say, in regards to the Sahaku's. How do you think the Rest of Orb, will say when they find out, that Orb helped the Earth Forces in making that." he told him, pointing towards the Strike. "I don't want them to go through much more, as they did give me a home to live at." he contineud.

"Well, you should not worry that much, and besides, its nearly over. Even ZAFT will think twice before attack the Montgomery, and its escorts." he laughed.

"Have you ever met the commander of that ship? Its Koopman, I know the man, and he isn't that great, besides, he has a rather large nose." Samuel commented earning a hardy laugh from the head mechanic. "Besides, ZAFT has some of the G-Weapons, in-fact most of them anyways." he continued. "Tell me, how is the repairs on the Isei pack doing?" he asked.

"Fully repaired, even though we had to use some of the spare parts for the Strikes own launcher pack." Murdoch answered. "Tell me Samuel, who was the one to design this one out of those machines. As this is the P04, what about the other three?" he asked.

"I don't know for sure, but there are indeed or was three other machines. Two I know for sure are still functioning." Samuel commented. "Gold, Red, Blue, and Jade were all their names. And I know for sure that the Red, and Gold have left Heliopolis." he told the mechanic. "And, It was me, who did the general design of this, besides what we took off the Strike itself." he told him. "Hmm, I think I'm going to change the color of the sabres right now, to Red." Samuel commented.

"You can do that?" Murdoch asked.

"Yeah, the sabres I designed for this, can have their power adjusted, and when you do so, the color changes. The Strongest is white, while the weakest is black." he commented.

"I see. Very nice function. Well, I got to get back to work." Murdoch told him taking off back into the hangar.

'_I wonder if I'm right about an attack. Besides, one must expect the unexpected._' Samuel told himself, as he worked on the information.

* * *

Archangel, Woman's Shower

Mir, walked the halls hearing the civilians all being happy for that battles will be unlikley now, as she came up to the doorway to the woman's shower rooms. However, she saw both Saxen, and Saxton guarding the doorway. Which to Mir meant one of two things, that they were either waiting for someone, or protecting it, as Mina was inside and if it was about Mina, then it would be both rather than one or the other. She came by the two clones of Samuel, who just let her in, knowing Mir. Mir walked in, as the running water was going, as she also seeing Flay with a mudmask on her face. Getting all perked up for seeing her father, who was told by Sai that the man was aboard the Montgomery. Mir almost jumped seeing Flay with the facial cream, or mud, or whatever it was on her face.

"What is it?" Flay asked the surprised, girl, as in one of the stalls, Mina was taking her own shower, having the water splash off her clothless body.

"I should be asking you that myself Flay." Mir told her, as she came into the room more. Placing a small handbag on the bench near by. "And what is that on your face?" she asked.

"Its a facial mask." Flay answered her, peeling the green gunk off of her face.

"Take it easy on her Flay." Mina called out, from under the running water. "No offence Mir, but Flay, she's not as rich as you or me." she told her rubbing strands of her hair, with the hair cleaner.

"None taken Mina, and Flay its amazing what Items you managed to bring along." Mir commented, as she began to take her own clothing off, to take a shower in the stall beside Mina's. However, with Mina, she was also amazed with what Flay had in that purse of hers she took into the pod.

"Its because dads coming with the Advance fleet." Flay told them, as Mina lowered her head, as the water ran through her hair, washing away the soap.

Mina remembered, what Samuel spoke of when she was saying those things to Lacus earlier, especially those words about the girls father. _"So she is that mans daughter, so she is George Allisters Daughter." Samuel told them, as Mina looked at him._

_"What do you mean?" She asked._

_"George Allister, is a supporter for those Racists known as Blue Cosmos, and there is nothing I hate more than Racists Jackasses." _

"I am the daughter of the Atlantic Federations Vice Minister, I can't be a mess now can I?" she asked. As Mir put her clothing on a railing, as Mina's was beside her own.

"You know Flay, you should not be so racist towards the Coordinators." Mina commented as Flay turned to the woman in the shower.

"What do you mean Mina?" Flay asked her.

"Why is it that you hate coordinators, is it because of your fathers words?" She asked from the stall, as Flay looked over to her location oddly.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Flay asked the noble woman.

"Well, Kira is a Coordinator isn't he? And you are friendly with him." She commented. "While that other one, you don't want anything to do with, why is that?" she asked her, as Mir wondered as well, however she stepped into the shower and began to take one herself.

"Kira, is different." Flay told her, combing her hair with her fingers.

"How so?" Mina asked her.

"Well he, he. . . He just is okay!" She began to raise her voice.

"Flay, Mina is right, and when you said those things to that girl, Kira took them to himself, he was hurt because of it." Mir told the girl.

"Well, I. . . I . . ." she tried.

"Listen, you got to get rid of this anger, what did they actually ever do to you?" Mina asked her, as she grabbed a red towel and wrapped herself with it. "Because, you would be surprised, of how many friends you do have, that are coordinators." Mina told her with a sly smile.

"And what do you mean by that?" Flay asked the woman.

"Oh, nothing really, just exactly what I say." she told the girl, as she then began to get dressed.

* * *

Archangel Bridge -

Captain Koopman was on the vid screen above the Bridges viewport. Koopman was the Captain of the ship, as his rank colors show just that, he also had a rather stern look, and his nose took up nearly half his face. The officers, and even Savir were all on the bridge, as Samuel was in the hangar, and Mina herself was at the showers, so Savir was their representative on the bridge at this time. "_The Arrival of the eighth fleet's advance fleet, at the rendezvous point is going according to schedule._" Koopman informed the occupants of the bridge as Murrue took a drink from her container. "_After your arrival, your ship will be under our command."_ he briefed the crew. "_It's just a little bit more Captain Ramius, we pray for your safe arrival._" he hoped, as the screen got bigger, another person was in the picture. He looked like a goverment figure, as he wore the suit, and had the face of one, his hair color was a dark grey. "_This is the Vice Minsiter of the Earth Alliance, George Allster._" The Captain introduced the man.

_"First off Archangel, I would like to thank you for taking care of the civilians, and of Mina Sahaku, hopefully because of her, we may be able to gain Orbs trust enough for it to join the alliance."_ George Allster hoped, as Savir just smirked about that. Knowing of Samuels own look upon the man. "_Ahh. . . Oh, and, I had a pleasant surprise, that one of the names on your list was of my daughter's name upon the list._" He commented, as only Sai knew that this was coming. "_If its at all possible captain, I would like to see my daughter._" he told her.

"_Vice Minister._" Koopman turned to the man. "_You can see her immediately after we rendezvous._"

Sai smirked at the notions of George. "Its just like him." he commented. With that, Natarle just looked at him with a erie look.

* * *

Archangel Hangar.

Both Kira, and Samuel were both working on their machines. Murdoch though floated across the catwalk through the hangar, when he noticed that someone was still working on the Strike who happened to be Kira. He also saw Samuel, who he already knew why, however he was still confused about Kira's reason. With that, he went over to the Strike, not even knowing, it was actually Kira in the Strike.Still working on it kid?" he asked.

"Yeah, what is it thought Murdoch?" Kira asked the head mech.

"Just wondering why you were still working on the Strike?" he asked.

"Nothing much really, just calibrating the offset, and among other things." Kira answered the man. "However, I don't know why I am doing it, as I wont need it anymore."

"Hahahaha." Murdoch laughed as he reached in, placeing a hand on the young teenagers shoulder. "This is still your job, until we actually get to the RendezvousHe told the coordinator. He then began to leave. "Heck, you can even stay with it, after the rendezvous." he joked with the civilian.

"I'm no soldier, the next chance I get to leave this ship, I'm leaving." Kira whispered to himself.

Samuel on the otherhand, was listening to a cd he burned a while ago, of the songs, Lacus had, and the one he was listening to now, was Quiet Night, which evidently, Lacus was actually singing at the moment. As they all worked, the one Clone of Samuel slept in the room he was assigned, as next door to it, Mwu also slept. While both occupants of the hangar worked on their machines.

* * *

However, back on the bridge, Mina entered, with the two other clones behind her, after having her shower, she felt a bit relaxed. Romero Pal, then began to detect three ships on radar. "Three ships have just been detected, they are the escort ships, Montgomery, Bernard, and Law." he informed the entire bridge crew, who all began to sigh, sighs of relief. However, something strange began to interfere with is instruments. "No, this is. . ." he began.

"What is it?" Murrue asked him.

"N-Jammer interference mam! Its coming from the port side of the escort fleet!" he relayed to her. As Mina looked at him in shock, as did the rest of the bridge, as they did not get the peace they thought, as a pair of Nazca cruisers began sending out GINNs and even the X303 Aegis Gundam. Chandra began to detect the heat patterns, as the battle had begun.

"Battle heat-signatures detected!" Chandra called out. "Its the Advance Fleet, they are in combat!" he called to everyone.

"A battle!" Sai said in disbelief to Mir who was beside him.

"Message from the Montgomery!" Pal called to them, which got everyones true attention. "Rendezvous is canceled, Archangel is to withdraw immediately" he relayed.

"Captain!" Mina called out.

"What is the enemies Strength?" Murrue asked.

"Yellow 2-5-7, Mark 4-0-2, and Yellow 2-5-6, Mark 4-0-3. A pair of Nazca's located!" Jackie called, "Heat signatures confirmed, 10 GINNs!" he called out. "And. . ." he began, as everyone were looking at him. "Its the X303 Aegis!" he called out with surprise.

Everyone were surprised as Murrue turned to the viewport. "Does this mean, its the same Nazca you damaged with the Lohengrin last time?" Mina asked, as Murrue nodded.

"Yes, Miss Sahaku, as though it seems, that is the same one we have ran from." Murrue answered her. As out in the battle, the Advance Fleet's Mobius units, were being slaughtered by a group of the GINNs, as the others began to attack the escort ships. "We can't withdraw now, even if we did, we cannot outrun two Nazca Destroyers!" she told them. "All hands, to Level one battle stations!" Murrue roared, as everyone began to do just that. "The Archangel will move ahead, and help out the Advance Fleet!" And with that, the ship went under alert.

* * *

Kira ran through the hall, as he fixed his uniform, however, he saw the door to Lacus Clynes room, as she emerged. "Not again." Kira sighed to himself as he went to her.

"Whats going on, the ship just suddenly become so rowdy." Lacus wondered.

"The ship is going into battle." Kira answered her. "Please go back inside." he told her, shoving her back in the room. "Honestly, whats up with this doors lock?" Kira asked himself.

"Oh my, more fighting, are you fighting as well Mr. Yamato?" She asked.

"Yeah, but please stay in your room." Kira told the girl, as he left for the hangar once again. Leaving Lacus just watching him run down the hall, to protect his friends once again.

"Kira!" Flay called, as she came running towards him. "What does this battle alert mean?" she asked.

Samuel, who actually stopped working on his machine came down the hall from the Cafeteria in a run towards the hangar, as he came up to Flay and Kira, hearing the question.

"Exactly what you said. The ship is going into battle again." Samuel told her.

"What about, the Advance fleet, what about my father?" She asked, with worry in her voice.

"Besides heading into battle, we have no information yet." Kira told her.

"Are you two sure, is Daddys ship going to be shot down?" She asked. "Is my father going to be alright?"

"If we can Flay, we will protect him." he told her, placeing a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me on that, we will try for you." With that, the two pilots ran towards the hangar, leaving the girl behind, hoping, just hoping that they can.

* * *

Outer Space, Battle of the Advance Fleet

The GINNs, were slaughtering the Mobius units of the advance fleet. Missiles being destroyed, as well as Mobius units being sliced in half. While the Aegis did a fly by against the Bernard, as it fired destroying the engines of the ship. While at that time after it did, it went to Mobile Armor attack mode, and went right towards the Law.

* * *

Montgomery Bridge:

George was in worry of the battle, as it was his first time in actual combat, seeing exactly what soldiers go through every day. "Were Getting shot down by our own machine!" he called, as he spoke of the Aegis. "What kind of sick joke is this?" he asked.

* * *

While in the Hangar of the Archangel, the Mobius Zero was getting ready for launch, as both Kira and Samuel finally got into their own machines. "You two are late!" Murdoch told the two, as they both went into the machines.

"We were caught in traffic." Samuel joked, as he closed the cockpit of the machine.

"_Ok guys._" Mir began to tell them. "_The enemy is made up of two Nazca class ships, ten GINNs, and the Aegis._" She told them both. "_Please becareful you two. And Samuel, Mina hopes for your safe return._" She told them.

Samuel nodded in his own machine, as he was loaded onto the Port Catapult while the Strike took the Starboard. "_Kira Samuel._" Sai began. "_Flay's father is with the advance fleet, We are both counting on you._" She told them.

"Roger that." Samuel replied.

"Ok." was all Kira told him.

"_Get both machines equipped with their faster packs, they need as much speed as possible!_" Mina's voice was heard, With that, both pilots agreed, as the Jade Frame was equipped with the Binsoku, while the Strike was equipped with the Aile pack.

"Kira Yamato, Strike Gundam, heading out!" Kira called as the Strike was catapulted into space.

"Samuel Lewis, Jade Frame, lets do this!" Samuel called out, as the Jade Frame launched from the Archangel as well. With that, all three of the machines heading right for the battle.

"Valiants one and two, FIRE!" Natarle ordered, fireing both cannons towards the enemy area. Which destroyed a GINN infront of the Montgomery. In retaliation, Athrun came in at the Law, and fired his multiphase Scylla cannon right through the ship.

Kira and Samuel flew side by side, as Samuel keyed his radio to Kira. "Kira, you take care of the Aegis, leave the GINNs to Mwu and myself." he radioed to Kira, as he then broke off from the kid, and went for the Advance Fleets attackers.

With that, Samuel fired his beam rifle several times, taking out two of the enemy GINNs, leaving a total of seven mobile suits left. "This is going to be much easier." he commented, as he has only fought a ZAFT ace, and the other G-Weapons. He thought this, as he dodged an attack from a GINN's high powered rifle, and placed the beam rifle on the small of the Jade Frames back, and drew a beam sabre from the arm that held the anti-beam coated shield. The beam ignited showing a dark red pillar of frozen flame "Bring it!" he called out as he charged the thrusters, moving his machine towards the other GINNs.

Kira and Athrun did twist and turns, fireing emerald darts of blazing fire at each other, however missing each other completely. While at the same time Mwu, was taking out a GINN as well using the Gunbarrels to their full extent on the machine. However, one lucky GINN got of a good shot on the Zero unit, dealing damage to the mobile armor. "Damn, this is going to make me look bad." Mwu joked, as he began to make his own retreat. "Samuel cover me!" Mwu called, as a GINN chased after him, only to be sliced in half by Samuel's dark red frozen pillar of fire.

"Not today buddy." Samuel commented, as he blocked a stray attack from the Aegis beam rifle with his shield. Even though he blocked an attack, he changed his mind, as rather fighting the Aegis, he put the beam sabre away, and brought out the beam rifle once again, and fired more attacks on the GINNs. As he attacked, the Law exploded from the damage the Aegis had done to it earlier. "Damn!" He called, as he opened fire on another GINN, blowing its head clean off, but thanks to the shot, a chain reaction destroyed the entire machine.

"_Samuel, Two GINNs are heading to the Montgomery!" _Mir called to him, as he looked over to the ship, and used its extra thrusters, to make a beline to the ship.

Kira, and Athrun however were continueding their beams of death. As they dodged or blocked attacks from each other. That was when both machines inginted their beam sabres, attacking, and blocking the others shields. The two machines backed away. "Kira, you said you were not apart of the military!" Athrun called to him.

"I'm not, I'm just protecting a friends family!" Kira called out, as he fired upon the Aegis. The two machines then continued their deadly dance, as with the Jade Frame, the two GINNs were better than the ones already taken down. One GINN however, was dumb enough, drawing a heavy sword that it was equipped with, and tried to hit the Jade Frame. However, Samuel counterd, by drawing the beam sabre, melting its way through the sword, and through the GINN itself.

"Damn, this is just nuts!" He called, as he saw one of the Nazca ships was going after the Archangel, however, what really disturbed him, was what he began to hear through Kuzzey's, and Mir's headsets.

"_I'll kill this girl!_" Flay's voice could be heard to him and Kira both. "_If they don't stop fireing at my fathers Ship, I'll Kill this girl, Tell them that!"_ Flay yelled.

* * *

As on the bridge, Mina was in complete shock seeing Flay saying that, however, Savir, and Saxton tried to get Lacus away from Flay. "Miss Allster, Calm down!" Savir told her, as he tried to break her grip of the girl.

"_FLAY!_" Georges voice came through, as Flay saw her father on the screen.

"Daddy!" She said with surprise seeing him.

"I hate to say it, but it looks like I wont be able to see you again. So I must tell you one thing. Its about your mother, she is a. . AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" George called out to her, as infront of their eyes, the Montgomery, was lost, in a large pillar of fire, from the result of the Vesalius' High Energy beam cannons. This shocked the entire, bridge, Kira, Samuel, and especially Flay, who began to mutter complete nonsense, as she looked at where her Father once was.

* * *

"NO DAMN IT!" Samuel called out, as he charged for the remaining two GINNs. However, something strange happened upon the Jade Frame. The eyes of the Jade Frame, went from their normal amberish gold, they changed to a ghostly white. He then hit the thrusters to their full capacity on the Jade Frames Binsoku pack. The Machine flew towards the Archangel, with rage behind its power now. As it flew by the GINN's, it sliced one of them right through the cockpit right from the back, incinerating the pilot on the inside of the machine. As he did, the other Nazca ship began target the Archangel planning to do the same to the Archangel, that of what the Vesalius did to the Montgomery just moments ago.

Before the ship could fire, the Jade Frame got between the blast, and the target. As the Archangel watched the Jade Frame, placing the anti-beam shield up ready to intercept the attack of the ship grade beam weapon. The ship fired the beam attack, which connected to the Jade Frames green colored shield forcing the Jade Frame to go backwards a bit. However, do to it being a ship grade weapon, the shield melted away, causing Samuel to move away from the attack dodging it mostly. With the result of this stunt of the pilots, the attack failed, and the Jade Frame had lost its left arm to the attack. "That's IT!" Samuel yelled, as he switched to an all way general frequency. "Attention all ZAFT Vessels and Mobile suits!" Samuel called out.

* * *

Vesailius Bridge:

"Incoming Transmission from enemy machine." the Communications officer called out.

"_This is the pilot of the MBF-P04 Jade Frame. At the current time, Chairman Siegel Clynes daughter Lacus Clyne is aboard the Archangel which is the ship you are about to attack._" Samuel called out, as everyone listened to what Samuel was saying, as he stopped the battle that was going on, at the mention of Lacus' name.

"_You lie you damn Natural!_" one of the last GINN pilots radioed.

* * *

"I am no Natural!" Samuel called out, which surprised the bridge of the Archangel, all except for Mina, Savir, Saxton, and Samuru. Lacus Clyne as well did not act surprised about it. As it also surprised the ZAFT forces, all except for Rau, who was more intrigued what this pilot was going to say next. "I am no Natural." he repeated, as Athrun watched the Jade Frame while stopping its attack on the Strike. "I go by the name of Samuel Lewis, however, that is not my real name." he radioed to everyone, saddened, as Kira was wondering what he was talking about.

* * *

On the Archangel, Mina was intrigued what was going on. "So, he decides to speak the truth at last." Mina commented earning some looks from the rest of the bridge crew of the Archangel.

* * *

"For the past year, I have been going by this name, however, my real name is Samorei, and my mother is Ezalia, in otherwords, of you don't believe me, contact my mother. Contact EZALIA JOULE!" he yelled out loud, as everyone looked on speechless as the Jade Frame stayed in position.

"Joule?" was whispered on the bridges of the three ships.

* * *

"Isn't that one of the PLANT's supreme Council members?" Pal asked.

"She is, and ever since Heliopolis, we have had him onboard this ship." Natarle mentioned, as Savir, began to take Lacus away just incase something happened as the others began to take Mina as well, as they are the ones closest to the man.

* * *

However, on the Vesalius, Rau grinned, hearing the name of Samuel, rather Samorei. "So, the one known as the dieing son actually survived the battle at Junius Seven." Rau smirked, as Ades looked at his commander.

"You believe this?" Ades asked him.

"Yes, Samorei may of been a trouble maker, but he was no liar." Rau told the captain, as he moved his fingers with each other. 'I wondered if he survived' Rau wondered.

"_Lacus Clyne is aboard the ship, we found her in a lifepod in the Debris belt, and thanks to the rights of civlians, I cannot Guarantee her safety if you continue to attack our ship._" Sam told the ZAFT forces. "_If you do continue, it is possible that you could kill Lacus Clyne with the ship, how many of you would even dare return to the PLANTs finding out, that it was you, and your ships that killed her?_" he asked them.

* * *

"What the hell?" Athrun called out. "You Can't be Samorei!" he told everyone. "That man died at Junius Seven!" Athrun called out.

"Athrun Zala is it? I know you, I've met you before, however kid, I did die then. However now, I am Samuel Lewis." Samuel commented to him. With that, he showed his face to all of the ZAFT ships. And they saw that it was indeed the face of the late elder child of Ezalia.

* * *

Vesalius Bridge

Rau smirked as it was definitely the who he says he is. "Ades." Rau began.

"Commander!" Ades turned to him.

"Cease Fire, call back our mobile suits, one thing I know about him, when someones life is in danger, he will tell the truth." Rau told him.

* * *

Jade Frame Cockpit

With that however, both the Strike and damaged Jade Frame returned to the Archangel, as the things in Samuels head began to run like crazy. As with the machine, the eyes went back from white to its original colors. "This is bad," He told himself, as he went into the hangar landing his machine. While Mina, and Lacus were lead to their rooms.

The Jade frame walked to its area, with its equipment gone, as was one of its arms. The Mobile sit docked, as the cockpit opened, however, before the guy could do anything, several automatic rifles was aimed right at him from inside the cockpit. "I'm guessing I owe an explanation." he commented, as he looked at the two woman behind the soldiers. As both Natarle, and Murrue were looking at the teenager wondering what other secrets this man carries.

* * *

A/N: well, it seems Samuel is actually a coordinator, and the older brother of Yzak. What other lies has he have been saying. And does this truly mean, that Savir and the others are coordinators, infact they are.

Here, As I have finally did all of this. I can finally place the data information about the Jade Frame, Samuel, and his Clones.

* * *

Stone of Jade Story data.

Model number: MBF-P04

Code name: Astray Jade Frame

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Color: Normal: dark grey

Phase Shift:Jade, and white

Manufacturer: Morgenrete Inc

Operator: Earth Alliance, ORB

First deployment: 25 January C.E. 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.13 Meters

Weight:81.23 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Phase Shift Armor, SensorsHardpoints for A-Packshardpoints in hands for Orb and Earth Forces weaponry

Fixed armaments:2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head, 2x Beam sabres

A-Packs: Binsoku Pack, Isei pack, Subeta pack,

Binsoku - 4x enhanced Thrusters (Atmosphereic Flight) and also enhances movement in Space

Isei - 1x 212 mm "Raiden" Multiphase energy Cannon, 2x Anti Ship Missile Launcher (Mounted on Shoulders

Subeta: "Meran" beam boomerang (Mounted on Right shoulder),"Tatsumasa" 15.13 Meter Anti Ship sword, "Panzer" Grappling Claw on left arm

Optional hand armaments: 1x Anti beam coated shield, 1x 57 mm high-energy beam rifle

**Description: **The MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame, looks like its other Astray Counterparts. However, the color that showed its name, like the others that showed their own colors, were shades of Jade. Unlike the others, this machine had its beam sabres sheathed upon the forearms of the machine. The Machine also had well placed hardpoints on its back, and arms for its special designed A-Packs. Within the palms of the machine, are special designed handplugs, allowing the mobile suit to equip Earth Forces, and Orb forces weaponry, even for one time shots.

**Technical Info:**

**OS**

**G**eneral, **U**nilateral, **N**euro - Link, **D**ispersive, **A**utonomic, **M**aneuver

When the Earth Alliance begins a project to build its own mobile suits, the initial work is done in conjunction with the Morgenroete research facility on the Orb space colony Heliopolis. While Orb assists in the research, they have an ulterior motive: steal the data from the Alliance to build their own mobile suits. From the stolen data, Orb constructs three prototype Gundam Astray units: the P01 Gold Frame, the P02 Red Frame, the P03 Blue Frame, and the P04 Jade Frame. While Orb is able to copy the Alliance's beam saber and beam rifle technology, they were able to duplicate the Phase Shift armor for only the Jade Frame for the others they compensated this by making the Astrays light and maneuverable. As with the Alliance suits, the Astrays are equipped with hand plugs to exchange energy and data with its carried weapons. The Alliance and Orb use different hand plugs, and only weapons designed for the Astray can be used without any modifications. However, the Jade Frame is capable of equipping both Nations weaponry.

The development of the Astray project is interrupted when ZAFT attacks Heliopolis on 25 January C.E. 71. Orb desires to keep the Astray project secret and destroys the Astray factory. However, a Coordinator named Rondo Ghina Sahaku is determined to save the four units. To that end, he downloads the data from all the Astray units into the Red Frame, including the latest version of the Astray operating system. The latest version of the Astray OS allows a Natural to pilot the suit, similar to the OS developed later on by Kira Yamato for the mass-produced MBF-M1 M1 Astray. Before the destruction of the Astray factory, the Jade Frame came into the hands of mechanic Samuel Lewis of Orb, and was taken into battle alongside the Strike. The machine is equipped with two beam sabres, and a beam rifle, and as well as hardpoints for packs, much like the GAT-X105 Strike, and could equip the same packs, however had its own developed during the Astray project which Samuel gladly uses instead of the Strike own equipment. However unlike the Strike, no units were made to help with the machines equipment, so two batterys are inclued in each of the packs.

* * *

Name: Samorei Joule

Alias: Samuel Lewis

Sex: Male

Age:18 upon appearance

DOB: March/13/CE 52

Human type: Coordinator 2nd Generation

rank/Employed:Morgenrete Employee

Height: 5'11

Weight: 146 lbs

Hair: Silver

Eyes: Blue

Pilot of: Astray Jade Frame

Bio: A Calm person, who cares for what friends he has and for Mina Sahaku. He is someone who hides his true self, even from his closest friends that belong upon the Archangel. His acting before thinking gets him in trouble in many areas, especially on the field of battle.

* * *

Sahaku's SAHAWK Clones:

These Clones are clones of Samorei Joule aka, Samuel Lewis

Note: Samorei cannot detect the clones of himself, like Mwu can detect Rau, this is because these are not Newtypes/ or in other words, people with hightened spatial awareness. Before finding out their looks, each one wears a black hood.

C# Name: Descriptions

S1: SavirLooks much like the orignial, however he has shoulder Length silver/white hair (Somewhat like Yzak)

Weapon: Automatic Pistol Pilots: N/A

S2: SaxenHas long silver or White Hair, going down to the mid back of the clone.

Weapon: Spiked Gauntlet Pilots: N/A

S3: SamuruShort Silver White Hair, with straight bangs

Weapon: Knives Pilots: N/A

S4: SaxtonLooks Exactly Like Samuel, having short hair, with spiked bangs

Weapon: Bare Hands and fists Pilots: N/A


	8. Chapter 08: Return to ZAFT

Chapter 08: Return to ZAFT

* * *

The battle had finished, as the Jade Frame hovered in space, with one arm missing, and having bright white eyes, as it stood protecting the Archangel, from the Nazca infront of the mobile suit. "_Samorei, how dare you, how dare YOU! take a civilian as a hostage!"_ Athrun called. 

"Athrun, I am not taking her as a hostage, I'm protecting her from you!" Samuel or rather Samorei called back to the young man. Athrun was surprised at this comeback. "Tell me Athrun, you were planning to continue the attack on the ship that currently has her." he calmly told the teen. "And if I didn't interfere the way I did, you would of killed her. Do you want to explain, to all of the PLANTs in habitants, on how you murdered Lacus Clyne?" he asked the Aegis pilot.

Athrun, was indeed shocked by this statement, and it was actually true, if he did not know Lacus was aboard the ship, he would still attack evidently she would die. "Fine, but Samorei, I'm counting on you for keeping her safe, and Kira, Both of you joining such a ship, and the very people that killed Junius Seven, do both of you see this as Justice?" Athrun asked them, as that caught to Samorei, as he remembered, how that battle really happened.

* * *

Flashback, Battle of Junius Seven 

_Samorei, flew in a ZGMF-1017 GINN High Maneuver Type dodged an attack from a Mobius, as the machine brought out its MA-M3 heavy sword, cleaving the Mobius right in half. "This is nuts, why the hell are they attack us here?" Samorei asked himself, as he wore the ZAFT elite pilots uniform on the inside of the machine. "Regie, advance to the Roosevelt, take their base out!"_ _He ordered, as his darker Green GINN, led a pair of two GINNs after the main ship. _

_"Roger that boss, heading to intercept!" a voice called out, however, the three of the machines, opened fire with their machine guns, firing like wild fire. However, for Samorei, he began to detect another Mobile Armor launching from its mother ship. However, he ignored it, drawing the Heavy sword, heading right towards the bridge of the Agamemnon class ship. The Roosevelt did not stand a chance, or at least its bridge did not, as the sword of the high maneuver GINN, was sent through the bridge of the ship, destroying its occupants._

_"Samorei, mobile armor, moving with dangerous pay load!" a womans voice called, as Samorei turned to see that mobile armor that launched moments ago._

_"Damn, everyone get that missile!" he roared, realizing what it was, as he hit full thrusters on the mobile suit to go after the machine. However it was to late, as the armor launched its payload which went right for the colony._

End Flashback

* * *

"I'm only with the ship, till I can return to Orb, with a person who is also on that ship that I care deeply obligated to protect." Sam, told the teenager. "Until she is safe, I will not stop protecting that ship, even from my own brother." He told him. 

"Whatever, you two, just keep Lacus safe." Athrun told the two pilots. "Do so, for an old friend." he said as the aegis turned around as it returned to the Vesalius, and the Strike along side the Jade Frame, went back to the Archangel.

* * *

Upon entering the hangar of the Archangel, the Jade Frame landed in its designated position powering down its phase shift armor. The pilot felt that he did something really bad, as when he opened the cockpit of the Jade Frame, he realized that he actually did, as four armed soldiers, along with Murrue, Mwu who was still in his pilots uniform, and Natarle behind them. "I guess, I have some explaining to do don't I?" 

Murrue nodded answering him. "Please, i want you to go to my office, and I would like everyone thats on this ship, that knows you from the past." Murrue told him, as Sam nodded, taking his harnest off, and following the woman, and Mwu towards the hangar doors.

"You two, go get Mina Sahaku, and Lacus Clyne." Natarle told them, as they nodded.

"Don't hurt them though." Murrue told them, as Sam looked at them as well.

"If you do hurt them, not even the Strike will be able to protect this ship." Sam threatened them, as Mwu looked at him, as he turned to the Jade Frame, as its eyes activated with their erie white color glow.

"Ok, now thats weird." Mwu told himself, as the eyes went amber again and powered down. With just s shrug at the machine, he left once again, following each of them.

* * *

As they walked the halls, several of the civilians watch as they take Samorei, or Samuel, who ever he truly was. Whispering, wondering what was going to go on, as he then noticed, Sai, Kuzzey, and Mir all taking care of an unconscious Flay, who fainted from the battle. '_I wonder does she know yet, of what I really am?_' Sam asked himself. Upon a short while later, Sam was taken into the Captains office, as the other soldiers brought along, Mina and the Clones, as well as Lacus Clyne herself. 

"Oh my, what seems to be the problem?" Lacus asked.

"It seems to be me, and the few lies I have been telling, ever since Jade Frame and I, fought alongside the Archangel." Samuel told his old fling, as even though they were no longer together, Sam always felt he should protect his closest friends. "Now, what is this meeting about Captain?" Sam asked.

"I do wonder the same thing, does it really matter?" Mina asked.

"Of course it matters Miss Sahaku" Natarle told him. "How exactly are we so sure that it wasn't your Samuel, Samorei, whatever, how are we so sure he wasn't the one that leaked the information about the Advance fleet?" she asked them.

"Because I would not do that, Even though I don't like Flay's father, I would not leak that kind of information. I am not that kind of person!" he told them.

"Calm down Sam." Mwu told him, as he turned to. "You to Ensign." he continued. "So what the kid lied about his genes, he is still protecting this ship, or did you not notice him blocking that shot from that Nazca Destroyer, or even that GINN he sliced in half to protect me?" La Flaga asked them.

"That is true, but how are we so sure that he wasn't the one who told ZAFT of the G-Weapons in the first place?" Natarle asked him.

"Then why the hell did I try to stop them from damageing the Strike?" Sam asked her. "I'm not even part of this military, and yet I'm being treated as a traitor to it!" he informed the lot of them. "Infact, I would more likley put on trial to both Orb, and ZAFT, but not the Earth Alliance, sure I wear one of your pilot suits, but I am no Earth Forces Soldier." he told them.

"I understand Sam, but all we really want to know now, is, what your true story is exactly." Murrue told him, as the other two behind her wondered as well.

"Savir told me, of what he said about my battle at Junius Seven. Pretty much exactly that was what it was, however I did not betray anyone, and I piloted a GINN High maneuver Type during that time. And as I told you now, my real name is, Samorei Joule, my mother is of the Supreme Council, and as far as my family knows I am dead, until that ship's report returns to the homeland." he told them.

"So was it your GINN, the one that destroyed the Roosevelt?" Mwu asked as Samuel nodded.

"Now Mina, how did you really find Sam here. You said it was a Mobile Armor, how much of the Mobile suit still existed?" Murrue asked the woman.

"Its Kinda hard to believe, but the GINN he told of. It actually landed on the Orb Beach, after using something from the Debris belt as a shield for re entry. However, when we found Sam, he was in a coma. But, the GINN flew over to the beach on its own from the area the debris fell. You know how the eyes of the GINNs are, this one glowed white, then after it powered down, it returned to normal." She told them, as Murrue wondered what exactly she meant by this. "For what we can tell you, the GINN is actually hidden under our Manor, where he stayed during his time in Orb. We were able to change his name, made everything he needed for it, a Social Insurance Number, Birth Card, Licence, everything needed, we got it. Thats why in his personnel file, he is no coordinator."

"I see. So, he stayed with yeahs ever since that day, till the day he was sent to Heliopolis to work on Orbs own machines. Very interesting." Murrue commented, as she looked at the teenager. "Will you still fight for us Samuel, Samorei?"

"Just call me Samuel Captain, and yes, I will stay with you, until I can return to Orb, with the Jade Frame." he told them.

"Alright, now what is your relationship with the pink Princess?" Mwu asked, as Lacus smiled at that.

"We use to be together, however, it didn't work out for us, so we broke up a few years ago." She told them, as Samuel nodded in agreement.

"I see, and now, as I think about it, you two seem to be better together than we thought." Mwu said, turning towards Mina and Samuel.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Samuel asked him.

"Oh, that it is, possible that the two of you get together, or so from the way I seen you two act with each other. And it seems that as you are of noble blood Samuel." Mwu joked, as Mina began to blush, hiding it from the other occupants.

"Right now Mwu, you are right, I do care for her, and I will continue to do so." Samuel told him. "However, as long as you are concerned, that Samorei Joule does not exist on this ship. I only said those things, to stop the attack, and that it is true of who I am. I do want to help you, and the only way you can do that, is to keep this secret about me."

"But that is against protocol!" Natarle told him.

"Yeah, and so is taking a potential hostage to the Earth Forces HQ, and you know what, I wont let that happen." He told them, as he left the room. While with all this, the clones of Samuel all smirked at this.

"Now, that was interesting." Murrue commented, as everyone besides the officers left.

"Should we keep survailence on him?" Natarle asked.

"No need Ensign, he has proved to us, that he is willing to kill his old comrades, to protect the friends he has on this ship." Murrue told her.

"Besides, if he was the enemy, do you think we would even be alive right now?" Mwu asked her, as he left the room as well.

"He is right Natarle, besides, we should get back on the bridge, just incase something else goes wrong." Murrue commented, as she left behind Mwu, heading towards the bridge.

* * *

Samuel asked his group to be alone for a bit, as he was feeling guilty now. The Montgomery was right infront of him when it was destroyed. So to him, he felt severly guilty for what happend about Flay. He floated to the doorway of where she was being taken care of, as she went into a comatose state. The door slid open, as Sai stood up fast as though he was going to protect her from anyone. "Oh, Samuel its you, or is it Samorei now?" he asked. 

"Its just Samuel, I'm still the same person you met at Heliopolis." Sam told the blonde teen, as he then looked over to the bed Flay layed in. "How is she doing?" he asked.

"She is still asleep, from that shock of the Montgomery being destroyed." Sai replied, as he looked over to his fiance.

"I'm sorry." Samuel told him, as Sai looked at the now known coordinator. "I'm sorry for failing again." he commented.

"What do you mean?" Sai asked him.

"You remember the story Savir told, about Junius Seven, the only lie in that, was the machine I piloted. I failed letting all those people die, and now, I failed her." he continued. "I want to be hear for when she awakens, to apologize." he told the teen.

"I think she would appreciate it." He told him.

"How much did she hear, after the Montgomery go down?" Samuel asked him.

"None, she fainted before your speech began." Sai answered, as Samuel smirked.

"So she knows not of what I am. But I wonder how her views will continue." he wondered, as they began to hear her voice.

"Daddy, what about mom, what are you trying to say?" she asked in her sleep, then all of a sudden her eyes opened wide, as she sat straight up, screaming as though in pain as she held her head, to keep the pain inside. Which she was also, in pain emotionally, as both Sai, and Samuel went over to her to calm her down.

"Flay." Sam said in a calm voice, as she looked at Samuel.

"Papa, wheres daddy?" She asked, knowing full well of what happened. Sai and Samuel looked away with sorrow, as she grabbed Samuels shirt. "You said . . . you . . . said . . . you would protect him." She tried to say, as Samuel looked at her with sorrow as she pushed him away. "Stay away from me!" she yelled, as she went to Sai, and began to cry.

"Flay." Samuel said with sadness in his own voice, as he raised a hand towards her. 'I failed you, my friend, I failed you' he silently told himself, leaving the room. However, before he left, Mir came in dropping various water bottles, as Kira came right behind her. "Mir Kira!" Samuel said in shock, as the two of them came in.

"Daddy's dead, no no, thats a lie!" Flay called, as she continued to cry in his arms. "THATS A LIE!" she yelled.

"Flay." Kira began, as that was a bad mistake for how Flay was raised.

"Liars!" she yelled towards the two pilots. "You two promised that Daddy would be safe!" she began, as Kira was shocked, as Samuel felt even more hurt, as one more life he failed to keep alive was added to the over two hundred thousand people he has already failed. "Why didn't you two protect my fathers SHIP!" she then looked at Kira. "WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL THEM!" she yelled.

"Flay, they both faught their hardest." Mir tried to stick up for the pilots.

"Its because your a coordinator, and you Samuel, its because your in love with one." she said almost sinister. "You both didn't seriously try your hardest to protect him did you!" she yelled at the two, who were both hurt by her words. With that, as Flay cried in Sai's arms, Samuel snuck out, and felt like he had been shot, and in some way, he wish he did. As he walked down the halls, he felt terrible, as he punched the wall.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled, as Saxten came around.

"Samuel? whats up?" he asked as Samuel looked at his clone.

"I failed her, I failed a friend of mine, just like I failed all those people." he told his clone, as he saw behind Saxen, Kira going up the small elevator.

"I see, and Samuel, Mina wants a word with you." Saxen told the original, as he then left to follow Kira. Samuel on the otherhand floated off towards his own room.

However, unknown to most of the crew, as soon as she got back to her room, Lacus Clyne was walking through the halls once again. She had pure astonishment, of that Samuel, had actually revealed his actual name once again. However, as her small ball, she calls Mr. Pink, bounced infront of her, she began to hear the crying of Kira in a far area. "Oh my, I wonder who that could be?" she wondered, as she floated off towards the area Kira had gone.

* * *

Even though he had left, Samuel made it to his room in a short bit, as Mina sat on the table not to far away. "I heard the yelling." Mina told him, as Samuel just went and sat on the bed. 

"So you did, and you know what I am feeling don't you?" he asked as she nodded.

"Yeah, exactly on how you realized Junius Seven was no more." she told him, sitting beside the young fella. "Listen, I'm sorry for what has happened today. You had no control of these events." She continued as she placed a hand on his lap. He was surprised about this, as he took her hand off his lap and into his own. She felt the sadness within his grip as she took her other hand and held them both, as for Samuel he felt how much she cared for him.

"I don't know any more Mina, I've failed all those people, how are we so sure I wont fail you?" he asked her. However, he could not speak another word, as he felt her lips to his own, which surprised him, as his eyes were wide open from the sudden kiss. However, he was surprised about this, he began to kiss her back while on the outside, Savir smirked, as he remembered his own girl back at home. However, on the inside, Mina continued to kiss Samuel with her own eyes closed, as she began to feel Sam's hands in her long dark hair. As it began to become more passionate, they broke the kiss.

"That is how I know you wont fail me." she told him in a whisper, as for their first time with each other, they had kissed. One noble to another, one of the PLANTs, and one of Orb, something the two of them wanted with each other for a long time.

"Thanks, you know, with your tongue in my mouth, I feel a lot better." Samuel joked.

"That was no joke, my feelings were in that lip lock." She told him as they held each others hands.

"I know, however, even though I hated the man, I still feel hurt for letting that happen to Flay" he told the noble as they kept their hands embraced with each other.

"Don't worry about it so much, as the time passes so will the pain." she told him, as he nodded holding her hand with one hand, and feeling her hair with the other, as she layed her head upon his chest.

* * *

Archangel View port: 

Kira slammed the glass, that layed between him, and the endless vacuum of space. The pain of what Flay said to him, earlier, was tearing the teen apart on the inside as he yelled and yelled into the endlessness of space. "Its not fair," he whispered, calming down a bit, as he heard something mechanical approaching him.

"Oh my, is something the matter, Mr. Yamato?" Lacus Clynes voice pierced his yelling, as she floated beside him.

He turned to see her right beside him. "L-Lacus!" he said surprised, "What are you doing here?" Kira asked the girl, as he whiped what tears he had away. The tears of failure away from his face. "In a place like this?" he asked the songstress.

"Well," she began as she pushed away from the window. "I was taking a walk"

"Well, you shouldn't go everywhere you please, this is a warship, and they could think you were a spy!" Kira told her.

"Oh, well, Mr. Pink likes to go for walks, and any lock door he comes across, he can somehow unlock it." She told him, as they watched the little ball bounce multiple times.

"Well, no matter, I should get you back to your room." Kira told her, as she took off once again, playing around with Kira.

"The fighting is over, right?" she asked the Strike pilot.

"Yeah, well. . . Thanks to you and Sam." Kira told her. "It was thanks to both of you, that we came out of that alive." he informed the pink princess.

"An yet, you seem so sad." she pointed out to him. "is something the matter?" she asked the teen.

"Well. . . " he began, thinking on the words, that Flay had used moments ago. "Its because of all this fighting. I never chose to fight in this war, I am no soldier, and yet, I have been pulled into these rescent events." Kira explained to her.

"If only this war never begun, because it seems to draw in the people who have wanted nothing to do with this war." Lacus told him, as she noticed the long haired version of Samuel, the clone known as Saxen.

"An yet, conflict lives on in all our hearts, Natural, Coordinator, and Clones." Saxen told the two of them. "And it doesn't help Samuel that one of the pilots of the G-Weapon is his own brother." he continued.

"Oh, I know who you are talking about, Yzak right?" she asked the clone as he nodded.

Kira looked at him, as he felt the same for himself, the way Samuel felt in battle. "I see, I also have a friend out there." Kira told the two of them.

"Who?" Lacus wondered curiously.

"Athrun." Kira stated.

"Athrun?" Lacus wondered.

"Athrun Zala, he is the pilot of the machine called the Aegis." he informed the both of them.

"Is that so." Lacus commented on that, with somewhat a smile on her face. "The both of you are so good people." She told him as he face went to sadness. "Which this war has made it into such a sad thing."

"Do you know Athrun?" Kira asked her, as she got a bright smile upon her face.

"Athrun Zala. . ." she began to inform him, of her own secret. "Is the man I will eventually marry." She told him, getting a look of shock and confusion from the two coordinators.

"You. . . You" Kira tried to get out, as she just nodded her head.

All Lacus did to answer him was nod her head, as he Haro jumped into her hands. "He made me this, Haro." she told him with a smile. "When he found out I loved it so much, he kept on making more and more for me." Kira imagined Athrun creating many of the thing she held in her hand.

"I see." was all he told her, as Saxen kept silent between the two of them. "Athrun has yet to change then." he told her, which earned him a look of confusion. "He made something for me as well, Birdy." he told her.

"Really?" she asked him. "Wouldn't it be great, if that none of us had to fight." she wished as she held her Haro closer to herself.

* * *

Archangel Samuel's and Mina's quarters 

Samuel slept within his bed, which was in the bunk above Mina's own. He layed awake as he could hear Mina's breathing beneath him. "So, that secret is now out, and Mwu has been acting different around me." he commented, as he just layed upon the bed.

"Someone is trying to sleep down here." Mina told the guy above her, as he just smiled and looked at the ceiling.

"Sorry, its just because of everything has happened. And, I'm worried about mom." was all he could tell her.

"I see, I'm worried about dad, and of my brother, I wonder if he got out of Heliopolis in time." Mina wondered, thinking of both Ghina and their father. "Dad has not been himself lately." she said saddened, as Samuel hopped down from his bed.

"You want anything from the Cafeteria?" he asked her.

"Yeah, some bottled water would be nice to have." she answered as he nodded.

"Gotcha, and if you want we can talk some more when I get back." he told her, as he left the room and its hatch.

"Yeah, that would be nice, and gives us time to discuss what we are going to do." she commented to herself.

* * *

Archangel, Cafeteria Corridors 

Samuel floated down the halls, as he began to hear voice from the Cafeteria, and one noteably was Sai. "What is it Kuzzey?" Sai asked his friend, as Mir, Tolle, Sai, and Kuzzey were speaking about what has been happening lately.

"It seems that those mobile suits that were stolen. The duel and the Aegis." Kuzzey began, as Samuel listened in on it all, and was surprised to hear the name of the mobile suit his brother was piloting. "The pilots of those things, of the Duel, it's Samuel's brother, and the Aegis, is an old friend of Kira's." Kuzzey told each of his friends, as Samuel smacked himself in the head. "I heard him and Saxen talk about it with that coordinator girl." he told them.

Before anyone else could say anything, Samuel got back his composure and walked into the room. "Hey guys." he told them, walking over to the water dispenser as he grabbed two water bottles and began to fill the both of them up.

"Uhh, Samorei?" Mir began ask.

"Please Mir, its Samuel, Samorei died at Junius Seven." Samuel told them, as he finished filling the second container of water.

"Alright, Sam, but I have a question to ask, do you know the pilot of the Duel?" Mir asked the Jade Frame pilot.

"Yeah, closer than some people know other people. However, you may think though, Kira and I, will not let anything happen to this ship." Sam told them, taking the bottles out of the room. "And you all don't have to hide it, I heard Kuzzey tell you the pilot of the Duel, is really my brother." he told them. However, he turned one last time. "Sai, what was it that Flay was talking about before she woke up?" he asked the teen.

"What do you mean?" Mir asked Samuel who asked the question first.

"Daddy, what about mom, what are you trying to say? is what I mean" he asked him.

"That, I do not know, but Before Flay's dad died, he said the words, 'I hate to say it, but it looks like I wont be able to see you again. So I must tell you one thing. Its about your mother, she is a. . .' and then the transmission went silent." Sai told him, as Samuel smirked, and left the room as silent as he came in.

* * *

Upon moments after he left the cafeteria, he met up with Savir. "Savir!" he called stopping himself by gripping the railing. 

"What is it?" the leader of the clones asked, and the oldest among them.

"Here, take these to Mina, and tell her I will be back in a moment." He told himself as he shoved the containers into the arms of the lookalike.

"What are you planning?" Savir asked.

"I just realized we are getting to close to the PLANTs, and someone has to return her there." Samuel told him, looking down the hall, that leads to Lacus' room. "I will do it, because if I know the Atlantic Federation, and I do, more than anyone knows, is that they will use her to more than an advantage than we want." he told him, leaving his clone staring where the teenager went.

However, someone had already began to do what Sam was thinking, as Kira snuck into miss Clyne's room. "Haro, what's going on Haro!" the pink ball called, as Kira put a finger to his lips.

"Shh, Haro." Kira told it.

"Hmm, what is going on?" Lacus asked as she whiped her eyes, as she had just awoken from her slumber.

"That is something I'd like to know." Samuel's voice called into the room, as he stood at the doorway,startling both Kira and Lacus.

"Mr. Yamato, Samorei, what's the matter?" she asked the two archangel's mobile suit pilots.

"I don't know about Kira, but Lacus, get dressed, your going home." Samuel told her as Kira looked at him.

"I was thinking the same thing." Kira calmly told his silver haired pilot friend.

* * *

Upon moments later, the four of them ran towards the hangar, as Samuel was ahead checking the cooridors if the people are awake or not. While Lacus, Kira, and Haro ran behind him, far enough to stop when he told them to. He stopped, and as soon as Lacus and Kira caught up, Sam grabbed Lacus by the arms, and shoved her behind a part of the interior of the ship. "Kira? Samuel?" Sai asked out loud, as he and Mir both saw the two pilots leaning against the wall, using their bodies, to shield Lacus from sight. 

"Every time, Haro!" the pink ball bounced as Lacus poked her head out of hiding.

"Hello!" she said with her usual smile with both Mir and Sai surprised.

"Just what are you two up to?" Sai asked the two pilots as Kira sighed at such a comment.

"What are you two going to do with her?" Mir asked, as Samuel looked away for a moment.

"Please, stop asking so many questions." Kira snapped at the both of them. "Please, I don't want to get you two involved."

"Kira, that doesn't matter anymore, they seen us, so now they are." Samuel told them. "So what are you two going to do now?" he asked the two teens.

"We'll help." Sai told them, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sai, Mir. . . Thank you." Samuel told them, as Kira nodded.

"Yeah, thanks guys." Kira told them, as the six of them went for the hangar.

* * *

Upon getting to the pilots ready room, Kira and Samuel were getting into their pilots uniforms, "Here put this on." Kira told Lacus, as he held a space suit infront of him, as she began to change into the space suit, while Samuel finished with is uniform, leaving the helmet in his arm. 

"My my." Samuel commented, as Lacus changed infront of both of them, while Kira was trying to give her some privacy.

A short time later, the three coordinator's emerged from the room, two in pilots suit, and one in a space suit, which seemed to had a bulging stomach, which caught both Mir, and Sai by surprise as they just looked at Lacus stomach. "Ah, how many months has it been now?" Sai asked, as he looked at the two pilots, as Samuel just smirked.

"Dunno, I've been missing for over eleven." Samuel joked, as he took off towards the actual hangar. The six of them sneaked around, as Samuel went to the Jade Frame, while Kira and Lacus got into the Strike Gundam.

"Thank you." Lacus called to Sai and Mir, as she was getting into the mobile suit. "Perhaps we can meet again?" she asked them, as her Haro was in her hands.

"Who knows we might." Sai told her, as he then looked at Kira, who was getting the launch preperations ready. "Kira." Sai began, as he wanted to akse this question ever since Kuzzey told him of that secret. "You will be coming back right?" he asked. This caught Kira by surprise, as Samuel closed his own hatch, and began to move the Jade Frame to one of the catapults. "You and Samuel will be coming back right?" Sai asked him.

"_I can't vouch for Kira Sai_ " Samuel's voice came through the radio. "_I have someone dear to me on this ship, so I wont be leaving without her._" he told them.

"Of course Sai, Mir, I wont leave you guys, you are all my friends." Kira told him, as down below Murdoch, was trying to stop what the teens were doing, as the Jade Frame walked by him. "I promise." he told them, closing the hatch of the strike, as the catwalk began to move away from the Strike, allowing it to move once again. Kira then hit the external speakers, for all in the room to hear. "_Please everyone, move out of the way, we are opening the hatch._" Kira warned all of them, as the two machines went to their catapults. With this, everything on the bridge, began to give off an alert on their displays.

* * *

Archangel Bridge: 

"What's going on?" Murrue asked the ones behind her.

"Captain, Mobile Suits are preparing to launch, Kira and Samuel are up to something." Kuzzey told her, as Natarle got onto Miriallia's sation.

"Kira Yamato, Samorei What are you doing?" Natarle tried to contact the two mobile suits.

"_Those kids have taken the girl with them!_" Mwu informed them, from the hangar's communication device. "The Airlocks have opened for them, there is no stopping them now." he told them. And with that, everyone were in shock from what the two coordinators were doing, as both machines were equipped with their style of aglity packs, as the Aile Strike, and the Binsoku Jade Frame were fully equipped.

* * *

Archangel Catapults 

"Alright Kira, its time, lets return Miss Clyne home." Samuel told them, as the Jade Frame launched first, with the Strike right behind it. The reason for this formation was that Samuel was using the Jade Frame as a shield to protect Kira and the Strike's precious cargo, with each mobile suit, activating their phase shift armor.

* * *

Vesalius Bridge: 

"Mobile suits detected launching from the Legged ship!" the electronic warefare officer warned everyone. "Ship going to red alert." he called again, as Rau, and Ades were wondering if the legged ship was thinking on attacking, as they can not attack back.

"Commander, we are getting a transmission from Strike, voice only!" The communications officer informed everyone.

That was when the ship was filled with Kira's voice. "_This is the GAT-X105 Strike, my mission is a peaceful one, I am bringing you Lacus Clyne."_ Kira informed the ZAFT ship. "_However, your ship is to cut its engines, and power down it's weapon systems." _Kira began to tell them his conditions. "_Also, the Aegis and its pilot alone are to meet with me."_

With that, the voice of Samorei cut in. "_If these conditions are not met, we can not guarantee miss Clyne's safety." _Samuel told the ship.

"Just what is the legged ship planning?" Ades wondered, as Rau floated behind the captain of the ship. And with that, Athrun's face appeared on the overhead monitor.

"_Commander, please let me go_." Athrun pleaded, as he was worried for Lacus safety.

"Athrun, we don't even know if Lacus Clyne, is actually aboard one of those machines." Ades told the kid, as Rau smirked.

"Athrun, permission granted." he told the young pilot.

"_Thank you commander._" Athrun told him, as the link was cut.

"Is this really a good Idea?" Ades asked the blonde man.

"This can be a prime chance for us," Rau told the man, as he looked at the commander. "Cut the engines, and prepare my CGUE for launch." he told the captain, as he left to get prepped for launch.

* * *

Space, between Nazca and Archangel ships. 

"So far so good, I'm only detecting the Aegis Launching." Samuel commented, as he kept the Jade Frame between the Aegis, and the Strike. Within moments, the Aegis had arrived, as the three machines floated, with the Jade Frame moving out of the way, and the Strike aiming its rifle right at the Aegis' head. The three mobile suits floated, as the Jade Frame raised its own rifle, aiming at one of the Aegis' thrusters.

"Alright, i'm here." Athrun radioed to the two other pilots.

"Athrun, open your cockpit." Kira told him, as both the Strike, and the Aegis opened their cockpits, while Samuel kept floating in the general vicinity. "Talk to him." Kira told the cargo he carried, as she looked at him, wondering what he meant. "He can't see your face, he needs to know its actually you." he told the girl.

"oh, ok, Good Afternoon Athrun!" she called over the vacuum, and the radio. "Its very nice to see you again!" she called.

"I confirm, its Lacus." Athrun told him.

"Then be ready to receive her." Kira told him, as with that, he gave her a gentle shove, as the pink princess floated across the empty space._ Upon moments, Athrun caught her, easing her inertia to a stop, as the two stood on the hatch of the Aegis cockpit. _

Lacus, smiled as she stepped onto the stolen machine, and looked at Athrun. She then turned to Kira, and the Jade Frame. "Thank you Mr. Yamato, Samorei, and you as well Athrun." She told the three pilots.

For a few moments with silence, "Kira, Samorei!" Athrun called to the two pilots. "Come with us to, there is no reason for you to stay with the Earth Forces!" he told the two of them.

"Listen Athrun, I should not even be alive right now, but I have someone very special to me on that ship, and where ever she goes, I will follow her." Samuel told him.

"Athrun, I don't want to fight you, or anyone," Kira began to tell the Aegis pilot. "But there are people on that ship I feel Obligated to protect." he began, as he began to raise his voice, to tell Athrun what he was meaning. "My Friends are on that ship!" he told the pilot, as the two white machines floated side by side.

"And we will protect those people, even from our own race." Samuel told him, as he thought of Mina, and the others. With those words, silence fell over each of them once again.

"Then, I can do nothing to change your minds." Athrun told them, looking ashamed, as though he has failed his personal mission. "It looks like, the next time we see each other in battle, I will show the two of you no mercy!" Athrun called to them.

"I will as well, to protect." Samuel commented.

"As will I." Kira told the pilot. With that, the cockpit of the Strike closed, with both the Strike, and Jade Frame began to return to their ship. With that, the three machines shared the same actions, in which was the time Rau made his move.

* * *

"Ades Start the engine!" Rau ordered, as his CGUE launched from the Nazca as the Archangel instantly took action for this. 

"Nazca class, Engines have started, CGUE detected." Pal called out.

"Launch the Zero!" Natarle ordered, as Mwu La Flaga, lowered his visor.

"I knew something like this would happen." he told himself, as the Mobius Zero launching into space.

In space, Athrun was just as surprised as the Archangel and her crew. "Athrun, take miss Clyne to the ship!" Rau ordered, as the CGUE sped past the Aegis, and went right for the Strike and Jade Frame. Both of the Gundam's could not fire back, in case they missed and took out the Aegis and Lacus.

"Damn, what now?" Samuel wondered, as he got the Jade Frame between the incoming CGUE, and the Strike, as the beam rifle was put aside, and drew the beam sabre from behind its shield.

"Did you two think Rau, would stand by and let this go the way you wanted it?" Mwu asked the two pilots, as the Mobius Zero was coming right towards them.

As in the Aegis, Lacus did not want this to become a battle field of her friends. "Lacus what are you?" Athrun sked her.

"Commander Rau Le Creuset!" Lacus called out, as the signal was being received by all of the ships, and machines. "I am how dare you start a battle infront of a peace representative as myself?" She asked the commander.

"Miss Clyne, this is not the right time to. . ." Rau began.

"Commander, I am ordering you to break off this attack." She ordered the blonde commander.

"What a troublesome girl, no matter, we will meet with this ship again." He told himself, as he hit the radio. "All ZAFT forces, pull back," Rau ordered, as the CGUE stopped its attack, and began to retreat, earning a sigh of relief from the two Archangel machines.

"Now, that was entertaining." Mwu told them, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, it seems to be." Samuel added in.

"Well, like them, we should head back as well." Mwu informed the both of them, as the three machines about faced, and went back towards the archangel. "Going after them, will lead us to more trouble." he told them, as he noticed Kira on his screen, with glazed eyes. "Hey kid is something wrong?" Mwu asked the pilot.

"No its nothing." Kira replied, as each of the machines made it back to their mothership.

Author's note: Lacus Clyne, has returned to ZAFT, and it seems Samuel and Mina have kissed the first time in this fic.

I see, that the people who do review this beast, were surprised to see the things with Samuel. And those that I actually talk to, I just got to say, I need to keep some big secrets haha. Now, for the events of next chapter, will show how, Yzak acts about this of Samorei Joule his older brother is actually alive. And pretty soon, the destruction of the Eighth fleet.

Until the next Chapter: Sibling Rivalry


	9. Chapter 09: Sibling Rivalry

Disclaimer: The only characters I own, are Samuel and his clones. And the only machines I own, is the Astray Jade Frame.

Ok, I know this is a bit faster than I would of liked, but As I am working again, it will take some time for future chapters, however, I hope you all enjoy this one.

* * *

Chapter 09: Sibling Rivalry

Upon turning miss Clyne to her people, the Jade Frame, Mobius Zero, and the Strike all touched down within the Archangel's hangar. Five people were waiting for them, and they were actually just Mina, and the clones of Samuel. Each of them, went for the Jade Frame, as the cockpit opened, and the catwalk got into position. "Samuel, what the hell is going on?" Mina asked, as she floated to his machine, only allowing him, to take the helmet that he wore off.

"I helped take a friend to safety, she was not safe aboard this ship, and neither are we." He told her, as she looked at him in wonder of what was going through his head.

"Hey Kid!" Mwu called up to them, as the Mobius did not need a Catwalk to be boarded or disembarked. "You as well Samuel, Mina, the Captain would like all of you to meet at the Captain's office ASAP, so we can discuss these things." Mwu smirked, as he left the hangar, as Samuel began to role his eyes.

"What do they want this time?" Samuel wondered, as all Kira did was silently followed the man.

"I heard its suppose to be some kind of court martial or something." Saxen informed him, as the six of them, drifted off where Mwu and Kira vanished, so they could go to the Captains office, for what was to be discussed. Within a few moments, as they left the hangar, a pair of armed soldiers escorted the six coordinators to the Captain's office. However, in a sense, these Orb Natives, just continued down the path towards the office, wondering exactly what this was all going to be about.

"Each of you will wait here, until we get a few things straightened out." One of the soldiers told them, as he then looked at them.

"The Captain has informed us, Miss Sahaku, if you wish, you can defend both of the defendents for the actions they have taken. If you do not agree, lieutentant La Flaga will do so." The other soldier informed her, as Savir, looked at the man, as he looked that the man held the holster where his gun is suppose to be.

"I see, I choose to defend Samuel, then, I think Flaga will do nicely for Kira as is." she replied to him, as he nodded then left into the room.

"Captain, the first ones for the trial have arrived, Miss Sahaku will be defending Mr. Joule" The soldier told the people of the room.

"Very well, send Miss Sahaku, and Samuel in." Murrue's voice ordered them. With that, the soldier motioned both of the Orb representatives into the room. Inside waiting were Murrue Ramius who just looked uncertain of what to do with this situation. To her left, was Natarle, who looked very disapproving with what has happened.

Mwu passed Mina a regulations book, as all three of the officers were in full uniform, even Mwu wore the hat which was apart of the standard uniform. "Here you may need this, however I really doubt you will." he told her, as Samuel took the chair infront of the Captain, as Mwu went to the corner and Mina sat where Mwu once was.

"This Court Martial is now in session." Murrue stated, as she looked over to Mina. "Miss Sahaku will be your counsel, while Ensign Badgiruel as the prosecution." She informed them, as Mina had to go with what her heart or head told her in this. "Ensign Badgiruel, you may begin to tell him what Crimes he has committed." she told her.

Natarle nodded to her captain, "Of course, however, only two crimes have been committed by acting crewman Samorei Joule One was the theft of Earth Forces property, as well as the aiding, and abetting the escape of a prisoner of war." with that last part, Mina looked at the Ensign with a serious look.

"I object!" she called out, causing Samuel to smirk at the woman he had a love interest with. "The MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame is not of the Earth Forces, it still belongs to the Orb Goverment! So the charge of theft, would be more upon your own selves if he is not able to use such a machine." she told them. "And I also object on the view of Lacus Clyne, when she arrived, she was appointed as an honored guest, not a P O W." she told them. "For the Jade Frame, he may fly it to defend this ship, but he is of not an Earth Forces soldier, nor does he fall into the jurisdiction of these accusations" she protested to her.

Ramius took everything that was just said by Mina and smiled. "Understood Mina, as of this, all accusations towards Samorei are now dismissed." She pointed out, as Mina smiled at this, and sat down upon the seat that was behind her.

"But Captain, Miss Clyne was a very important piece for stopping ZAFT from attacking us." Natarle told her captain.

"And that is why, if I did not help in her escape, just think of this Natarle, she would be used, in much worst ways than one could imagine. I for one, know what I speak of." Samuel told them. "Trust me on this, Earth Forces are not that great, when they get a coordinator in their ranks. Especially when the top brass gets to them." he told them.

"What are you getting at?" Mwu asked the second generation of coordinator.

"It is something, that someday you will find out, but not now." he told Mwu, but just allowing the mobile armor pilot to see just his left eye.

"Alright then, you have nothing to worry about anymore Samuel, you and Mina may leave, and when you do so, send in Mr. Yamato." Murrue told them. With that, each of the two walked out, with Mina giving Mwu his regulations book once again, as they left. "Looks like with what he brought up, we should go a bit easier on Kira." she commented.

"I wonder, what more secrets he is still hiding from us." Mwu wondered.

"More than we may ever understand." Murrue commented on the small subject.

* * *

Archangel Corridors:

Samuel and Mina floated down the corridors as Samuel caught sight of one person that he already felt very bad for what he failed to do. "Flay." he said, as the red headed girl looked up, looking at him with sadness in her eyes.

"Samuel." she said as she floated over to him. "I want to apologize to you, and you as well Mina." Flay said with sadness in her voice.

"Flay, I accept the apology." Mina told her, as Samuel nodded in agreement. "We already know what you must be going through, so we are not being hard on you for it." She told her.

"Yeah Flay, so don't worry about it. However, I do suggest you apologize to Kira as well." Samuel told the young girl, as he then looked at Mina. "I'm heading off to go over the Jade Frame again, or do some work on it." he told her, as he left the area in the elevator heading down.

* * *

Lauraisa Frigate Gamow

The three Gundam pilots of the Blitz, Buster, and the Duel gathered around the map display, in the middle of the bridge. "It's true we will be able to catch up with the legged ship before they meet with the Eighth fleet." Nicol pointed out. "However, we will only have ten minutes before entering its fireing range." he brief the other two, Yzak and Dearka.

"This is no problem then, however we still have that little thing Creuset spoke of." Yzak told them.

"Oh, that of your brother right?" Dearka commented.

"My brother died at Junius Seven, and I wont let that damn Natural soil the name of Joule." Yzak told his blonde friend. "So, we have ten minutes, or do we have ten minutes only. Its only a matter on how you think of this." he commented, as he still continued to think of what Rau briefed for the Gamow since Lacus was retrieved by the Vesailius. "It would be a sheer shame, if we let the Legged ship, escape with us having those ten minutes." he commented to the other two.

"I agree. Whether a surprise attack succeeds or not, does not depend on the amount of time we have." Dearka added in.

"The Vesalius will be arriving to back us up, once it drops off Lacus Clyne and as long as she is no longer a factor, so we can take out legged ship at our leisure." Yzak added in with sarcasm within his voice. "Lets take out the legged ship, and destroy that imposter before they get back, got it"

"Ok" Dearka told him with a thumbs up.

"Understood." Nicol reluctantly agreed.

* * *

Archangel Bridge:

Natarle, and Murrue were watching the endless place known as space, as Natarle walked closer to her commander. "It will be another half an hour till we get to the rendezvous point." Natarle informed her captain.

"Its still amazing that we even got this far." Murrue sighed, knowing they were getting ever so close to her idol.

"All operators, stay on full alert!" Natarle ordered. "The fleet is highly visible, and can be a large visual to the enemy ships." she ordered.

"Yes ma'am" the operators all called out.

* * *

Archangel Hangar:

Samuel sat in the cockpit of the Jade Frame, as he did various works on the machine, and now not hiding his true ablities, he was using his actual coordinator speed at typing. Infact, he was actually copying what data was on the machine onto a disc. "A lot of things are happening now." He commented, as he looked out into the hangar, seeing the Strike, standing on the starboard side of the ship. '_Now, with ZAFT knowing I still live, I wonder what Yzak and mom are doing now?_' he wondered to himself.

"Hey Kid." Murdoch said, from just outside the cockpit.

"Holy cow, Murdoch!" Samuel called out in surprise, not expecting to see the mechanic. "Well, what is it?" he asked the man.

"I've been wondering, where you studied for Mechanics?" he asked the coordinator.

"I forget the place now, its been a long time since I went there, I mainly went to the College on Heliopolis was to review."

"I see. Hey mind giving us a hand with the Strike for a bit?" he asked, as he floated over to the railing of the catwalk.

"Sure just give me a little more time, I'm almost done of Jade's." he continued to type, as he was bringing up a lot of data on the Jade Frame, and its weaponry, and Binsoku pack. With that, he ejected the disc, and placed it safely in his clothing, and went to help with the Strike.

* * *

Archangel Cafeteria:

Sai and Kuzzey were in a middle of a discussion, as one of the topics however the three friends only shared glances with each other, as Kira went to get a drink. However, Sai noticed someone that came in behind Kira. "Flay!" he said surprised, to see that she was even walking about, since her father died she has been resting in bed. However, all she did was stare blankly at Kira. Sai got up, to go to her, "Flay shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked her.

"Don't worry Sai, I'm alright." she told him, as she then went over to Kira, who she had hurt with her words after her dads death. "Kira. . . I apologize for what I said, prior to my fathers death." she told the Strike pilot. "At the time, I was, in termoil, and said things I should not have said. I am really sorry." she told him.

"Flay" Kira notioned, as Flay looked saddened within her eyes.

"I know, that you and Samuel both fought your hardest to protect the Archangel, I just want you to know Kira, I am behind you all the way." She told him, as Kira just looked at the girl he has had a crush on for such a long time.

"Flay it's ok. And I know, it is because of my friends I wont let anything happen to this ship." Kira told her. "I am sorry I could not protect your father, however, I will protect you and the others." he told her.

"All I wish, is that this war will end quickly." she nearly whispered, as Kira nodded in agreement.

"We all do Flay, believe me on that." as all of a sudden, the battle alarm began to go off throughout the ship.

* * *

Archangel Bridge:

Upon moments earlier, Mina had arrived, to discuss future plans for herself and Samuel. However, their discussion, was just interupted, my Romero Pal. "N Jammer interference increasing!" Romero called out.

"Damn!" Murrue called, as Natarle left where she stood, down to supervise the CIC battle. While Murrue went and got into the Captains Chair, as Mina went towards where the door was, to leave the bridge, as it is somewhere she does not belong.

"Just minutes before the Rendezvous." Natarle pointed out, as Murrue began what her position is meant to do.

"Got to level one battle stations, prepare for anti mobile suit, and anti ship battle!" Murrue ordered out, as the entire Archangel went into alert.

* * *

In the hangar, Samuel left where he was working, to get to the Pilots room, to put on his flight suit once again. Within moments, he was ready, as just he did, Mwu had arrived when Samuel went through the door. Once Sam was in the hangar once again, he launched himself to the Jade Frame. As he did, Mwu got into his own cockpit, while Samuel strapped himself into his own machine, as he began to turn on its main power. "_Samuel, Mwu!" _Mir called to them through the radio. "_The Opposition is one Lauraisa class, The Blitz, the Buster, and the Duel._" Mir briefed the two pilots, as their machines were loaded onto the catapults, with the Jade Frame getting its Binsoku pack once again.

"So, he is among them. Brother, I'm sorry, but I must protect this ship, even from my own family. However, i will not let that pain hurt mother ever again." Samuel told himself, as he got the all clear to launch. "Binsoku Jade Frame Heading out!" he called, as the mobile suit, launched into space changing from its dull gray to its white and jade colors.

"Mwu La Flaga, Launching!" Mwu told them, as his Mobile armor blasted off.

Within moments though, Mir gave the same briefing to Kira, as the Strike got ready to launch using its Aile Striker Pack for this battle.

"Kira Yamato Launching!" Kira called out, as the Strike Gundam, as the formation of the two Mobile Suits, and the Mobile Armor began to head towards the three incoming mobile suits.

* * *

Yzak, Dearka, and Nicol all went into a strange formation, as the three machines went back to back, twirling in a circle heading towards the Legged Ship. That was when Samuel noticed something on his own scanners. "Everyone Scatter!" he called, as with that, the two mobile suits, and mobile armor broke formation, just at the same time as the three stolen G-Weapons as a large pillar of a beam cannon blast from the Gamow passed by the mobile suits, and nearly hitting the Archangel itself.

"Damn, using those machines to hide their ships attacks, Impressive." Mwu commented, as the Mobius Armor went after the stolen units.

"Yzak, its just like you doing this." Sam told himself, as he charged for the incoming machines.

Yzak, began to take charge of the situation with the three G-Weapons. "Nicol!" he called to the Blitz's pilot. "You go for the Legged Ship, Dearka you'll take the Mobile Armor, and I will handle the Imposter and the Strike!" Yzak told them, as they all split, as Mwu tried to hit each of them with his wired Gunbarrels.

A few of the shots of the mobile Armor's kinetic weapons, which did not phase the Buster, besides doing some damage to his energy. "Those weapons, useless." Dearka commented, as he fired twice from his own weaponry.

"Lieutenant!" Kira called out, as he fired at the Buster, however the Duel began to go in for the Strike, firing its own rifle.

"No you don't." Samuel called, blocking the three shots aimed for the Strike, with its shield.

Yzak's Duel, drew its beam sabre, as it raced right for the Jade frame, and the so called imposter. "How dare you soil the Joule name!" Yzak yelled, as he had every intention to destroy the Jade Frame . Samuel saw this coming from his brother, as he blocked the beam sabre with his shield, while changing weapons with the other hand. The two machines split from their battle, and clashed with beam sabres once again.

"Kira, go help outMwu!" Samuel ordered his friend, as the beam of the Duel's sabre began to shed some light upon the Jade Frames own head. "Yzak!" Samuel yelled, as he switched to the duel's frequency.

"Shut up you damn Natural, my brother is dead!" Yzak yelled, as the duel backed off, then came in again, as the two sabres clashed together, in a brilliant array of heated colors.

"Your wrong Yzak, I am the one you speak of!" Samuel called back, as the Jade Frame began to move the sabres towards the Duel, which broke the lock of beams, backing away.

"Shut up you damn bastard, my brother died at Junius Seven!" Yzak yelled, as his anger was beginning to cloud his judgement.

"Yzak, if you want to know for sure who I am, ask a question that only Samorei can answer!" he told the duel pilot, as the two machines squared off with each other.

"Fine then, my brother has had three girlfriends, who was the third one?" Yzak asked him as the Duel threw away its shield, as the Jade Frame followed suit,a s both machines were now using two beam sabres. With that, the two machines came together once again, as the four beam sabres connected with each other, leaving their shields floating in space.

"Fine, I will tell you, Allenby Hahenfuss!" Samuel answered, as his machine backed away once again, firing its CIW's at the duel to no effect, other than just shaking the mobile suit up.

* * *

However, back with Dearka, Mwu, and Kira. The three machines dance, with none of them getting a real hit, as Dearka combined his launcher, and beam rifle together, to create high energy beam rifle, as both mobile weapons dodged the attack. "Persistent you two are." Dearka commented, as he dodged the beam rifle attack from the Strike, do for not having his own anti beam shield. Dearka then returned fire as the shoulder compartments of the Buster opened, as a barrage of Missiles fired at the Strike, and Mobius' deployed Gunpods. Most of them dodged the attack, however one Gunpod was destroyed in the attack.

"Damn." Mwu grunted, as he turned around and opened fire with his Linear Cannon, as the Buster dodged its attack.

"Not today, you damn fool." Dearka told him, as he reversed his connection of his rifles, into a live ammo shotgun, firing at the Mobile Armor, barely nicking the machine.

"Mwu!" Kira called out, as the Strike came in with beam sabre a blaze, which the Buster dodged it, and fired hitting the strike with its shotgun.

"Damn, do these guys ever give up, we out number them three to two. Speaking of which, where is that other machine?" Mwu wondered.

* * *

As at that moment, the Blitz was heading right for the Archangel, which was already busy with the constant attacks from the Gamow. However, as the Blitz dodged an attack from the Archangel's valiants vanished using the colloid particles. "Captain, I've lost the Bliz!" Jackie Tonomura called out.

Ramius however did not panic, because she knew its capabilities. "Its gone under Mirage Colloid." She stated. "Fire Anti Beam Deph Charges!" she ordered, as the archangel launched the defencive weapons she ordered to be fired.

"Replace all anti beam deph charges, and anti shrapnel warheads!" Natarle ordered the crew. With that, the anti beam deph charges fired, exploding very close to the ship, making an explosion that allowed the beam hit by the deph charge reflecting away from the ship. "Triangulate the Blitz' position from that shot!" Natarle ordered, as it was done. "FIRE!" she called out.

* * *

Nicol fired another attack on the Archangel, however he grimaced, as a cluster of the warheads were coming his way. However, as the missiles came at him, with no way to avoid them, the Mirage Colloid was deactivated, as its phase shift reactivated with him taking the hits to his shield now, for less of an aftershock to his own person. "Of course, you were the ones who made this machine, of course you know its weaknesses." Nicol grimaced, as he made some minor adjustments, as he went under Mirage Colloid once again.

* * *

Natarle knew he would do this, and made the necessary order. "Set Igelstellungs to manual, and fire them randomly!" She ordered, as the Igelstellungs went crazy firing every which way.

* * *

However, back at the mobile suit battles. Samuel had the Jade Frame dodge a horizontal attack, and then a vertical attack from the Duel's beam sabre and Yzak's rage. "You cannot be my brother!" he yelled, slashing at the Jade Frame once again, blocking the Duel with the two beam sabres.

"Yzak, you must believe me!" Samuel called back to him, as the Jade Frame made no real attack attempts on the Duel, as most of the time, it was just parrying the Duel's attacks.

"No I will not believe no damn Natural!" he yelled back, as the duel came in full force, firing its own Igelstellungs missing the Jade Frame completely, as it made a vertical climb, or so it would if it was in atmosphere.

"Yzak, I am telling you the truth! You are in denile of the truth!" Samuel called out to his brother, as the Jade Frame was running away from the Duel by going in reverse.

"Then," Yzak began to muffle, as one of his beam sabres came down upon the Jade Frame, which got its beam sabre in the path just before the sabre could come back down upon the cockpit of the mobile suit. Yzak began to mumble as he thought of the one thing that only Samorei would know. "Then tell me Natural, what did my brother use to call me, before I became a teen?" Yzak asked him, as Samuel was confused with what he meant, as the beam sabres clashed once again.

"Man, and you told me never to call you this again. isn't that right Doll, or should I say, Silver Dollar." Samuel replied, which caused the Duel to stop right where it was.

"It, it can't be!" Yzak said surprised, as the Duel stopped right in its current position. "Samorei, what the hell is going on?" Yzak yelled at him as the beam sabres stayed out, while the two machines stared down each other.

"As you stated, I'm suppose to be dead, however I have been living at Orb, with the Sahaku's." Samuel began to explain to his brother, as the two machines continued their stale mate of just looking upon each other. "I have been with them, for nearly a year, and was apart of the project, that your machine was from, and how I got this machine." he told the younger of the Joules. "Yzak Move!" Samuel warned him, as both of the two machines dodged an attack from the Archangel's gottfrieds.

"Why the hell are you with these natural's?" Yzak bellowed at the Jade Frame, as its beam sabre came down upon the frame once again.

"Because, the person who has housed me, and has makin my life better is on board that ship!" Sam answered his brother. "In which, I will fight to protect her, even from, my own family." he shot at the Duel, as the beam sabres connected with each other once again.

"Then, I have no choice, but to take you down, permanently this time!" Yzak yelled, as he scored a lucky shot, as the leg of the Jade Frame, was sliced away by the Duel.

"Damn!" Sam called out, as the rest of his machine flew away from the Duel Gundam. However, Samuel's own problems were not as severe as the Archangel herself.

* * *

The two mother ships fired at each other, however, the Gamow landed a hit on the post side of the Archangel. As it and even the Blitz was right on the ship, right where none of the ships weaponrycould reach the mobile suit. "Heat distriubtion systems can't keep up!" Chandra reported the current status of the ship. "Armor Temperatures are rising to fast!" he called out.

"Damn, we will only be able to take only a few more hits." Murrue said with anger in her voice, as the ship was getting beat, in this time limited battle. "Turn to Starboard 20 Degree's, we need to get out of the path of the Lauraisa!" She ordered.

"Where are our Mobile Suits!" Natarle ordered, as Mir got right on this little problem.

"_Kira, Samuel, the Blitz is right besides us!" _She franticly called, as both machines heard the called, as the Jade Frame looked over towards the Earth Forces ship.

Kira stopped his own attack of double teaming the Buster, as both of the machines sped off towards the Archangel. However, as the Buster was busy with the Zero, the Duel went to stop the Jade Frame. "You are not going anywhere!" He yelled.

For Kira, however, images of the destruction of the Montgomery flowed through his head, and the words that haunted him, from what Flay had yelled after the day it was destroyed. As well, many images of his friends flowed through his mind. Behind Kira's eyes, a amethyst seed floated down within his mind, as it shattered into thousands of pieces. When Kira finally opened his eyes, they were unnaturaly clear. "I wont let, any of you sink the archangel." Kira calmly told them, as he hit the thrusters fully, heading towards the archangel. However, the Buster fired at Kira, with him just dodging it. "Let me help my friends!" Kira yelled, as both his beam sabres ignited, with him going right for the buster.

"WHAT!" Dearka yelled as the Strike came in, with four precise slashes, destroy all four of the Buster's weaponry. "Damn, what the hell, they are all gone?" he called, as the Strike never stayed to finish him off, as it went right after the Blitz.

However, for Yzak, he cut the Jade Frame off, as the two machines faced each other, "You are not going anywhere Samorei, I'm taking you back home!" Yzak yelled at the Jade Frame.

"I wont go, not now, The woman I will die protecting is on that Ship!" He told his brother, closing his eyes. Then his eyes widened, even though in full focus, his eyes however had crows feet on both sides of them, as they showed pure anger within them. The Jade Frames own eyes however changed color, from their usual amber, to the ghostly white once again. "I WONT EVEN LET YOU GET IN MY WAY!" Samuel yelled, as the Jade Frames thrusters went into full gear. Samuel, got the mobile suit, to slam one of the beam sabres away from the Duel, as it then threw one of its own right at the machine. Yzak was not lucky enough to get away, as the beam penetrated the upper body of the Duel, right through the neck, causing a chain reaction within the Duel itself, with its instruments going crazy. Even some of it, exploded on the inside, sending shrapnel right into Yzak's helmet, slicing his face. Even though the Jade Frames sabre was loss in the passing through, it grabbed the Duel's floating sabre, and flew off towards the Archangel along with the strike.

"AHH, it burns, it Burns, it Burns!" Yzak yelled, as he held his face in pain, not truly even believeing that his own brother had done this to him. While at the Archangel, Nicol stopped his constant attack on the ships structure, finally realizing what has happened to Yzak. However, he had to deal, with the incoming mobile suits, that were using in a way, rage as their power now.

"STOP IT!" Kira yelled, as he came at the Blitz, with his beam sabre ignited. The Blitz, jumped out of the path of the beam sabre, as the machine then tossed its sabre away, and then thrusting to the blitz once again, slamming its knee into the black Gundam's Torso.

"Leave us ALONE!" Samuel yelled, as his own mobile suit, shoulder tackled the blitz away from the Archangel.

"AHHH!" Nicol yelled, as his machine was knocked back a good amount of distance. "Damn, the Eight Fleet." he whipsered, as he went and grabbed Yzak and his damaged Duel. "Dearka!"

"I know, we got to retreat now, otherwise we wont stand a chance!" Dearka called back, as the three stolen G-Weapons flew away, while Kira landed on the deck of the Archangel, while the Jade Frame flew close to the bridge of the Archangel, with the Jade Frame's eyes returning to normal as well, as Samuel's own face.

Samuel though, unlike Kira, who just breathed heavily from exhaustion. Samuel hugged his chest, from the pain of what had just happened. "So this is what it feels like after I do that." Samuel told himself as he cringed in pain, as he did manage to have the Jade Frame, sheath both of its sabres.

"They are in full retreat, Kira Samuel, that was great!" Mwu called, as he congratualted the two of them.

"Lieutenant." Kira calmly said, as he was still in shock of what he had just done.

"No, not great, that was unbelievable!" the Zero pilot called to them, amazed of what he had seen by the two mobile suit pilots.

"Not Really." Kira told him, taking in, that what he did, was what he had to do.

Then, the words, that the entire ship has been waiting for, for so long were spoken. "_Its the Eighth Fleet, We made it!" _the words went through everyones heads.

However, not all was right, as Samuel hit the comlink to the bridge. "Captain." Samuel managed, as on the bridge, the view of his cockpit came on the main vid screen. "Get the doctor." He told them, as they caught a glimpse of Samuel's being on the screen. He was hugging his chest in pain from what he had done.

* * *

A/N: Another Chapter done, and it's still the same stature of what I have done. Now, everyone has seen how Yzak is looking at his brother right now, and of what his brother did to him, for just wanting to protect Mina. Now that is a person who is willing to protect the person he cares for to the very end.

Now, the main question is, what is with Samuel's machine, and what is up with him? Only time can tell.


	10. Chapter 10: Night of the Falling Stars

Chapter 10: Night of the Falling Stars

Archangel Infirmary corridors

Samuel was taken by two of his clones, to the infirmary once the Jade Frame was helped in the hangar byStrike. Mina, and doctor Hibson was also beside her, as the two of them watched the Clone's help Samuel onto a bed, as he continued to grasp his chest in pain, as the rest of his body, looked to be going through spasms. "Miss Sahaku, you known him the longest, any Idea for the reason of these spasms?" Hibson asked the Orb Noble woman.

"No Idea, this is the first time I seen him like this." she answered the doctor, as the Spasms were becoming to lessen.

"Samuel what's wrong?" Samuru asked, as he floated beside his somewhat biological father one might say.

"This is not the first time." Samuel answered, as the pains were lessening. "Those Damn Bastards did this to me years ago." he told the doctor.

"Who?" the doctor asked. "And what?"

"First question I don't like to talk about it." Samuel answered him, as he rolled his right shoulder. "And the second, is the same as the first. It was a bad year in my life, and I like to keep it to myself." he told the two other people that were in the room. "What of the Eighth fleet, what is the situation?"

"We are currently right beside Rear Admiral Halberton's flag ship. He is to be coming aboard sometime soon, to greet the crew of the ship that survived Heliopolis." Mina informed him, as Samuel just smiled.

"I wonder, will this be our last time with these guys." Samuel wondered, as he looked at the doctor, as the pains subsided. "Thanks doc, but everything seems fine now." he told him.

"Well, you do know your body more than I do, but I do suggest that you have some rest while we are here with the eighth fleet." the doctor prescribed for the coordinator.

As they began to leave, the Archangel had finally slid into its position right beside the Agamemnon class mobile armor carrier. The entire ship was surrounded by several Drake, and Nelson class battleships, which also surrounded the Archangel, each with their own mobile Armors, ready to launch at the moments notice. While this happened, both Mina, and Samuel were walking towards the hangar. "Tell me Mina, have you ever met the Rear Admiral before?" he asked.

"No, but I do know that Ghina did a few times, as the Admiral was one of the top supporters for the project." Mina answered him. "I think I met the man once, but that is about it."

Within the hangar though, the mechanics were all hard at work, repairing both the Jade Frames leg, The Mobius Zero's lost Gunbarrel, while the Strike was left alone, for its non damaged frame. Half the mechanics worked on Samuel's damaged Jade Frame, getting it ready, for what was to be planned for it. While another half worked on the Mobile armor, with Mwu, and Kira, however Mwu was more like dozing off rather than working on his own machine. As Mwu was dozeing off, Kira came out of the Mobius' hatch working the machine from within. "We've already reached the Fleet," Kira stated to the lieutenant. "So would someone please tell me, why we're in such a rush?" the soon to be non Strike pilot.

Mwu was surprised with Kira's sudden appearance. "I just don't feel right -or safe- when it's damaged," the Lieutenant explained to the kid.

Murdoch working on the gunbarrel heard the little conversation with the two pilots, so he felt like giving them his point of view. "The pilots coming over from the Fleet, are all wet behind the ears, so we may be siting ducks without the lieutenant" he told the young pilot.

"What about the Strike? or even the Jade Frame?" Kira asked.

"The Jade Frame is going where ever I'm going." Samuel called out, as he came floating towards them, with Mina right behind him. "However, the Strike I do not know."

"Yeah, and we can't downgrade it's performance." Mwu chimed in.

"Well then, we will have to hope someone can pilot it as it is." Murrue Ramius said as she came floating towards each of them, with somewhat of a smile on her face.

"What is this?" Mwu asked the floating woman. "What do we owe the pleasure?" he asked her.

"Yes there is Mwu." the captain continued to smile. "I don't mean to intrude all of your conversation, I do realize you all have a bunch of work to do, however, I would like to speak to Kira." she told each of them. "As well as Samuel and Mina."

"Yes of course." Mina answered her, as Kira looked at the captain with a suspicious look at her.

"Don't give me that look Kira." she said with her smile continued. Upon a while later, the four of them were infront of the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam. "I've hardly had the proper time to speak to each of you." Murrue commented to the three coordinators. "With all these battles, and everything that has been going on, has swamped me from even talking to any of you."

"Captain, there is no reason for you to say these things." Mina told her, as the noble woman looked at her fellow leader.

"Yeah mam, we just did what we thought was right." Samuel commented to her as he looked at Kira.

"No no." Murrue told the three of them, as she turned to each of them. "I wanted to thank each of you this time."

"Captain?" Kira wondered, as he looked at the woman with surprise in his eyes. For Kira, all he has wanted to do all this time, were to protect the friends he had aboard this ship.

Murrue understood the confusion of each of them. "Mina, you have allowed us to use Orb secret technology, and the use of Samorei, or rather Samuel as its pilot. In which is what I thank for the both of you." she told the two Orb representatives on the ship.

"As well to you Kira, for piloting the Strike. And while the others don't say this to your faces. We are all deeply grateful for what you have done for us." she told each of them, as she bowed to the three of them.

"Miss Ramius!" Samuel said surprised, as Kira was more in shock rather than suprise from the gesture of the Archangel captain.

"Please, each of you deserve this thanks, and we hope you each have a pleasent time going back to Earth." she told them.

Upon a few hours later, the bridge crew, the volunteer civilians, and the two Orb reps stood at attention as each of them, waited for the shuttle that carried, Admiral Lewis Halberton into the hangar of the Archangel cruiser. The shuttle from the ship hovered, in the hangar, making its final landing preperations.

Within moments, the hatch opened, allowing the Rear Admiral, and Captain Hoffman along side a few of their officers disperesed from the hatchs opening. Almost instantly the officers of the Archangel, snapped at attention of the high regarded admiral. Samuel then saluted to the Admiral showing that he did have respect to the very man, that made the ship that had taken him and Mina in, along with repairs for the Jade Frame. Halberton touched the deck of the ship, as he returned the Earth Forces salute to the soldiers who saluted at him. "My its good to see you are all alright, when news reached us for what happened at Heliopolis." he began. "I was surely convinced that was the end. I've never been happier to be proven wrong." he told them, in a hearty voice.

"Thank you sir." Murrue told them, looking up to her idol.

"I was a little concerned, when I heard the Archangel went into combat earlier," he went on, as he scanned the hangar. "Is everyone alright?" he asked, when he spotted the in progress of the repairing of the Jade Frames leg.

"Yes we all are Admiral." Mina told him, as he looked at the Orb noble.

"Ah I see, I heard reports we had a V.I.P. From Orb, and that a machine of Orbs own works was on this ship." Admiral smiled as he gave a slight bow to the lady. "And you are miss?" he asked.

"Rondo Mina Sahaku, of the Orb noble family, the Sahaku's." Mina told him. "This is the pilot of the Orb machine, the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame, Samuel Lewis."

"Yes we have met before haven't we Samuel?" Halberton asked him.

"Yes, of course," Samuel told him, as Natarle came up.

To her, it was time for introductions of the Archangel officers. "Ensign Natarle Badgiruel," she told him, with a second salute of the proper military protocol.

Mwu the stepped forward. "I am Lieutenant, Mwu La Flaga, of the Seventh Orbital Fleet, at your service sir." the Mobile Armor pilot informed the admiral.

Halberton nodded to the lieutenant. "The Hawk of Endymion, eh? we are very fortunate to have you with us as well." he told the pilot, as the two of them shook hands.

"I just wish I could of been a bit more of a service." Mwu told him, with a smirk on his face.

However, afterwards, Halberton took notice, of the third group, which was much larger than the first two. "And who might these people be?"

Murrue looked over to the refugees, as she nodded. "These are the students from Heliopolis," Murrue explained to him. "They have been helping with the operation of the ship." she told him, as they ended up infront of the group. "Without these people, we would never have made it here today sir."

"I see." Halberton murmured, with a intrigued voice and the sign of respect within it. "It is a remarkable thing indeed, people take up arms to defend themselves, and their friends." he commented as he looked over Kira and his friends. "Please, allow me to thank each of you, for aiding the Archangel on its way here, and, I have good news for each of you, you will be relieved, that all your families are all right." he told them, which caused a quite a bit of happy faces among the teens.

Hoffman came up to his Admiral. "Uh Sir, we don't have much time." the captain told him.

"Right" the Admiral commented. "Well," he said turning to the students. "Duty calls. But we have a chance, I would like to speak to each of you guys." he told the teens, as he, and the officers left the room.

Before Samuel could follow them, Murdoch stopped him. "Hey kid, we all got a gift for yeah." he told the silver haired teen, as he and his mechanical crew were right behind them.

"What is it?" Samuel wondered with a questionable look.

"Here, its something we made for you." he told the teen, as a brown package was given to him, as he opened it. Within the package, was a pilots uniform. It looked much like the Archangel's uniform that he has been wearing in battle for such a while now. Where the blue and black of the Earth Forces pilots uniform, was now pure black, and where the white is on the uniform was now jade in color, to show what machine the pilot used. "Whoa, nice." he said, holding the uniform spread out over his arms, as on the shoulder, was the ensignia of Orb, rather than the Earth forces.

"Yeah, but it was rather Miss Sahaku's idea." Murdoch told the pilot with his hand behind his head, as Samuel looked surprised as he turned to Mina.

A Mina did was smirked as she nodded. "Yeah its true, I got to thinking of having you as the permament pilot of the machine, and as you are, why not have a uniform for it." she told him with a shrug.

"Well here is something for you Mina, from Samuel." one of the other mechanics told her as he threw a pilots uniform for her.

"What?" she said confused.

"Well, the shuttles are to small to put the Jade Frame on, so I was hoping we could ride in it together." Samuel informed the noble woman.

"Alright, that sounds good." she said revealing the uniform. To show her power the uniform was like Samuels, however rather than Jade, it was a golden color. "Now, shall we go, I would like to discuss the Orb civilians, and the students, in a way, they are my resposiblities for them." she told each of them, as Samuel and Murdoch nodded.

"Alright, they are off to the Captains office." Murdoch told them, as he watched the two Orb members head off towards the office, where the good Admiral was going to brief the crew on its next mission.

Captains Office, Archangel.

Murrue rather than being in her usual position stood infront of the Admiral, as he sat in the chair that she usually sat in. "Its very interesting, all these orders just for this one ship, and for one G-Weapon." The admiral began. "Even with the destruction of both Heliopolis, and Artemis, but at least, this ship, and that mobile suit had survived." he commented, as he looked at the attentioned officers, as Mina and Samuel stood to the side of them, not at attention for not being in the Earth Forces military. "At least those have survived. But what I don't get is what JOSHUA is thinking. The Archangel and Strike will be good for the Earth Alliance in the future however, they don't seem to think the same way as I do." the Admiral informed each of them. "What do they know anyways, all they think the battle here in spaces is peoples lives are just numbers on paper." he gloated to them, as he looked at Murrue. "However, you Miss Ramius, you see the same thing as I do, so There shouldn't be any problems."

"Admiral." Murrue whispered, as Captain Hoffman picked up the report by Murrue.

"We are in the matter of discussing things, we should also bring up what is to be done about Orb, and the pilot of the Strike, that coordinator kid." Hoffman pointed out, as Mina raised an eyebrow towards the guy, as he placed the papers on the desk.

"Kira Yamato just simply wished to protect his friends who were onboard this ship." Murrue pointed out. "The Jade Frame will also be leaving, along with the Civilians of Orb. And as they did help create this ship, it will be fine for them to leave." she pointed out. "We would have never made it this far, without either the Jade Frame, or the Strike and their pilots." she pointed out. "They fought to protect us, even against their own kind." she told him, as the Admiral was already informed of Samuel's true self. "And it has really made Kira suffer."

"Me as well mam, I had to fight my own brother out there." Sam pointed out, as Natarle looked at them, with an erie look.

"Kira is a honest and kind kid, and I have complete faith in the child." she told her superiors.

"But if we release the kid just like that. . ." Hoffman pointed out, as Natarle then intruded.

"Excuse me for intruding, but I agree with Captain Hoffman." She pointed out, as this caught the attention of each of them. "And if at all possible having Samuel join us as well." she told them.

"Out of the question, you should just be lucky enough I'm even still on this ship." Samuel pointed out to her. "I have no love for the Earth Alliance." he added in.

"But both you and Mr. Yamato's abilities, are not something we can't just overlook. The both of them have seen the secrets of the G-Weapons, so we can't just leave it at that." Natarle continued, even after Samuel pointed out.

"Well Ensign, four had already fallen to ZAFT, and from Lady Sahaku's own report, three of the Orb prototypes are also missing, and only two of them have been confirmed by Samuel that they are still functioning." The Admiral told her. "What secrets could we even be hiding anymore?" he asked her.

"B. . . But. . . !" she tried to protext to the superior officer. "Yamato's abilties are to valuable for us to just let go." she told him. "If at all possible, we should try to make him a strength of our army." she continued.

"I see, but from the reports of lieutenant Ramius, it said that he wants no part in this war." he stated.

"Well, he is a first generation, so that means his parents are Naturals." Natarle pointed out, as Samuel eyed the woman, thinking of what he actually thought the Earth Forces were. Nothing but cowards, who tried to use coordinators, as weapons against their own kind. "As they are now on Earth, if we could take them into our custody and force him to. . ." she tried to get out.

"OUT of the question." Halberton barked, as Samuel was surprised at this, and seen the reason why he respected the man so much. "Even if we did, what use would be a soldier like that?" he asked her.

Natarle quickly bowed, "I'm sorry sir." she said backing away, as he then turned to Mina and Samuel.

"Please forgive her, we have no intention on using your people in such manor." he told the nobleman. "Once we resupply the ship, and give some new equimpment, we are planning on having you both go with your civilians, along with your mobile suit." he continued to them.

"Thank you sir." Mina commented on this.

"As you already know, all of the Orb Civilians will be transfered to the Menelaos are being taken and sent to Earth from there." he began. "As I heard earlier, you two are planning on going together, so we will add some extra supplies into the Jade Frame." he told them.

"Thank you very much sir." Samuel told him, as Mina placed a hand on his shoulder.

"And there is more Samuel." she told him, as even this surprised the Admiral. "Samuel, I like to draft you into the Orb Military as a mobile suit pilot, and I will give you the rank of Colonel." she told him.

"Well, that is a surprise." Mwu stated, seeing as Samuel smirked.

"Thank you Mina, and I'm glad you are the one to do it." Samuel told her, as he turned to the Admiral who was now standing.

"And now, for the new orders of the Archangel, we are to have you go down to Earth." he began. "We have to forget everything that has happened in the past. And are to go to Alsaska with its current crew." he told each of them.

An hour later, Archangel Hangar.

Both Mina and Samuel were in full gear of their gifts from the Archangel crew and each other. The only thing they had not on of their uniforms were their helmets, as Mina threw in some of her things, in the equipment compartment of the Bisoku pack. Her hair was tied up, allowing her to put on her helmet. The Binsoku pack may have the bonus thrusters of the mobile suit, but doubles as a storage compartment. It was also being loaded up, with some of the supplies from the Eighth fleet. A make shift seat was made for the Jade Frame, allowing Mina to sit while in the cockpit, while Samuel continue's to pilot the mobile suit. "You hear what the fleet is giving the Archangel?" she asked Samuel, who was looking over the system one last time.

"Yeah, they are giving the ship two prototype Mobile armors, designed as a support unit for the Strike." he told her. "Its because the Advance Fleet was suppose to give them one as well. However that will never happen, so the ship is getting the supplies, now, as well as us." he told her, as he checked his overhead supplies, as Mina was sitting behind him, in her make shift seat, which had a harnest.

"It's interesting that they have to get to Alaska for mass development of the ship, and the Strike." Mina pointed out, as she watched him work on the mobile suit. "Funny, as what data you guys did send down, Orb has already begun to work on the mass production of the Astray units." she informed her body guard.

"Yeah, besides, with mobile suit development happening on both sides, Orb would be not just outnumbered, but outclassed without them." he told her.

"So what exactly are you doing Samuel?" Mina asked the pilot.

"I'm confinguring the machine to take all its packs at once. I had the Harpoints added on a long time ago, but never put them into the system." the pilot told her. On one screen it showed the Jade Frame, and what Samuel was configuring. The Raiden was to be as a him mounted high energy multiphase beam cannon, as one of the shoulder mounted missile launchers was on the shoulders, while the beam boomerang be mounted on the opposite hip. The Binsoku pack would be in its original area, as the anti ship beam sword be mounted on its back, while it held both the rifle and shield.

"Wow, you do a lot of work on this thing don't you?" Mina asked the pilot.

"Yeah, and its going to be powered by four batteries this time, and until we begin re entry, the Phase Shift will be down, so we can save some energy before re-entry." Samuel explained. The pilot then noticed someone was standing next to the head of the Strike Gundam, and it was Kira in his civilian clothing. "Come on, lets say goodbye to the kid." he told her, as he exited the machine, while Mina catapulted herself from the mobile suit as well flying towards the stationary mobile suit. However, they stopped when Savir grabbed Samuel by the foot, while Saxen grabbed Mina, as the four of the clones were looking at their comrades.

"Come, we must talk." Savir told the two of them.

Archangel Corridors

The six of them came into the halls, with a confused pair of Mina and Samuel. "What's up guys?" Samuel wondered, as Mina crossed her arms.

"Yeah, aren't you all suppose to be over on the Menelaos?" Mina asked the four of them.

"We got some dirt on the Heliopolis students." Saxen commented.

"Oh, what is it?" Samuel asked, as he leaned against a wall. Savir smirked as he placed his hand to his face, and stroked his chin.

"Well dad or so we say you are, it seems, that the ones who been helping on the bridge, have joined the Alliance." Savir informed the two of them, as Samuel was intrigued by this new information. "That is not even the more interesting thing about this." he continued, as Samuel cocked an eyebrow. "Flay is the reason each of them joined."

"Flay, why would she join?" Mina wondered, thinking of the red headed person. "The last thing you would think she do, is join the military." she commented on the subject.

Samuel was getting more and more intrigued, as he thought of the words Flay was mumbleing before she awakened, to scar him and Kira to be the reason to take Lacus away. _"Daddy, what about mom, what are you trying to say?" _ was something that has been puzzling him, ever since he heard it. "Could this have something to do with her mother?" Samuel wondered, as the five others, looked at him weird.

"What are you trying to say Sam?" Saxen wondered.

"Well, a while ago, she mentioned something about her father, before he went and bought the farm." Samuel told them, which earned him more looks of confusion. "'Daddy, what about mom, what are you trying to say?' was what she was saying before she awakened." he explained to them. "Does Kira know?"

"As far as we know, no. However, we are planning on going to the shuttle now. Only two more, until thats it." Savir told his original.

"Alright, we will be joining you, with the Jade Frame." Samuel told him, as he left the corridor with Mina right no his heels. As soon, as he was about to re enter the hangar, Rear Admiral Halberton, and a soldier of his.

"Ah, so if it isn't Mr. Lewis, or Joule?" Halberton asked the teen.

"Admiral Halberton!" Samuel called in surprise, as Mina smirked at the jump of Sam.

"Yes, and I see the lovely miss Sahaku is with you. You look great, even in that flight suit m'lady." the admiral commented.

"Same to you Admiral." Mina commented.

"I go by Lewis these days Admiral." Samuel told him. "So is this a personel visit, or buisness?" he asked the admiral.

"Oh, that, its buisness, of the discussions, for us, not giving either of our nations, the secrets of someone elses projects." the Admiral told the Colonel.

"Do not worry Admiral." Mina began, as Halberton looked at her. "You have my word, that the four stolen machines technology will stay away from our machines." Mina insured the man.

"Alright m'lady, now for your reassurance you two." Halberton began to tell them. "The Jade Frame, will never make it in the reports to headquarters." he told them, turning towards the tall machine known as the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame which was getting fitted by some kind of items. "As of now, all reports are being deleted of any information it has that contains info about it." the Admiral re assured the two of them.

"Thank you Admiral." Mina told the man, as Samuel nodded.

"Oh yes, I sent some re entry gear for your machine, that Murdoch should have your mobile suit set up for you now." he told them, supriseing the both of them, as both of them ran into the hangar. The final touches, of several containers of ablative gel, and anti atmosphere resistance pieces added to the mobile suit's armor. Each of these new add ons, are light green. "It is designed for the G-Weapons, for better re entry, sure they can do so without it. But this will give you a better landing." Halberton explained.

"There you are kid, and good to see you as well Admiral." Murdoch said with a salute to the Admiral, as Halberton returned the gesture to the mechanic. "The equipment is all set, to the specifics, required to your own data Sam." Murdoch told him. "You just have to eject the equipmet, before hitting the ground otherwise, you will just go splat." he informed the pilot.

"Thanks Murdoch, I will keep that in mind." Samuel commented. "Well, Murdoch, it was good working along side you, and I learned a lot from your work." he commented.

"As with you kid." Murdoch said with a large smile on his face.

"Admiral, we will see you on the Menelaos" Samuel told him, as the Admiral nodded. With that, Samuel, and Mina went over to the new bastardized look of the Jade Frame, which still had spots open, so Sam could place all the packs onto the machine at once.

Archangel Shuttle Hangar:

Meanwhile, Kira stood in line, for a shuttle to take him, and what civilians to the good Admiral's ship. Several things of what has happened for the past few weeks kept on going through his head. He looks through the hangar, as a little Orb civilian girl came floating towards him, as she held an Oragami flower in one hand, as one of her overal pants' straps draped over her arm. The little girl, was named Elle, and she is of the Orb Refugee's. She presented a small yellow orgami flower, as she looked into her protectors eyes. "Thank you for protecting us until now." she told him, presenting the flower to him.

With that said, Kira noticed the other protectors mobile suit, walking towards the opposite Catapult of the hangar. It was being equipped with all three of its packs, like the system within it had said. As in the machine, Samuel with Mina just behind him, was working on the systems, as both of them, placed there visors up. "This is the Jade Frame to the bridge, I'm preparing for Launch now." Samuel radioed.

Murrue's face appeared on the screen as she nodded to the two coordinators. "_Please be careful you two, and may your flight home be a safe one._" she told them.

"As yours to Alaska Captain." Samuel told him, as Mina nodded in agreement. "This is the Jade Frame, full Assault mode, heading out!" Samuel called out, as the bastardization of the Mobile suit launched from the Archangel.

Meanwhile, Four ZAFT ships, flew closer and closer, just out of range of the Earth Alliances Eighth fleet. The Vesalius, and the Gamow, are the two main ships noticable, as all four of the ships began to launch there mobile suits. Several GINNs, the Aegis, the Buster, and the Blitz, all launch from the ship. As with the one of the Duel, the pilot got ready, with a bandage around his face, as the Duel had been given new equipment. "Even if he truly is my brother, no one gets away with disgracing the name of Joule like he did." Yzak told himself, as the Duel's eyes activated. "Duel Assault Shroud, heading out!"

Back on the Archangel, most of the Civilians had entered into the shuttle, along with the clones of Samuel, as there is not enough room, on the Jade Frame, for all of them. "Hey Kira!" Tolle called out, as Kira turned to see the people he thought already left, however, they were all in full uniform.

"Whats going on?" Kira asked confused.

"Were Staying." Mir answered.

"What do you mean staying?" Kira asked his friends a bit confused.

"Flay voluteered to join the army." Sai told his friend. Kira was surprised by this information.

"Then we joined as well." Kuzzey and Tolle added in. That was when everything began to go wrong.

"Attention, all personel to level one battle stations!" the announcement called.

"Hey you over there, hurry up!" a soldier called from the shuttle.

"Hey, wait a second for him!" Tolle called to the soldier. "Listen Kira." he said handing him his discharge papers. "This is our role for this war, and you still have to find yours, so go." he said pushing his friend to the shuttle. "Promise us, you wont get killed out there!" he called.

"No matter what, don't join ZAFT!" Kuzzey called out, as the four friends, floated towards the door, to head to their positions. And with that, several ZAFT mobile suits went towards the fleet, as Kira floated towards the shuttle.

A/N: Sorry I am so late with this, work has got my schedule for writing all screwed to hell. So I am sorry for the wait. Please read and review this chapter. Next, the battle in Orbit!


	11. Chapter 11: The Duel of Orbit

Chapter 11: The Duel of Orbit

Archangel Shuttle Area

Kira stared at his discharge papers, contemplating on what has just transpired. The Archangel has gone into level one battle stations. He looked at his papers and the orgami flower in his hand and crumpled the discharge papers in his hand. With that he took off and turned to the shuttle. "Go on without me!" he called out, as in the shuttle, Savir next to little Elle, looked out the window.

"And he goes to protect his friends again." Savir commented, as Elle stood up, to see Kira leave, as she gave a wave to him, even though Kira did not see her do so.

Eighth Fleet Space, Earth Orbit:

The Jade Frame, floated beside the Menelao's as it got the red alert from the Archangel, still using its radio frequencie on the ship. Mina had a serious look on her face, as Samuel's grip tightened on the controls infront of him. "So, this is how they are going to do it." Mina pointed out, as Samuel just replied to her with a nod, as he began to turn the weapon systems online, as the machine continued to float beside the eighth fleet's flag ship.

The Jade Frame turned from its dull gray state, to its white and jade colors, with the green add on parts, for its re entry trip. "Listen Mina, I want you to be ready for anything, I may be fighting, but this is going to be a bit of a challenge for me, as this machine is a bit over weight." Sam told her, refering to the weight of the bonus equipment and all its packs equipped to the machine. "What's this? we're being hailed by the Menelaos!" Sam said amazed at this, even though he was not a part of the military, he has a feeling that these are orders.

"_Menelaos to the Jade Frame, Colonel Samuel, do you read me?_" the communications officer called to the mobile suit, as its Hyper Impulse Cannon, snapped into position, under its left arm.

"Yes I hear you, what's going on?" Samuel asked him, as he looked back at Mina, who just stared back, almost emotionless, something the Sahaku's do, before going into battle. Something they say as, there is no Emotion on the field of battle. However, her hand was trembling a little, do to fear, of what is to happen, to the Orb Civilians that are going to be caught in the middle of all this.

"_Admiral Halberton, wishes to keep you and the Civilians, and the Archangel out of this battle, please, begin phases for re-entry._" the officer told him.

"No can do, we are not leaving, until we are sure those Civilians are safely on their way home, got that?" Samuel told him, which caught a spark into Mina's eyes, he was not even of Orb blood, yet he is doing everything to protect it.

"_Yes sir, then hide beneath our ship, your nation cannot suffer the lost of your machine got that_." The Admiral's voice cut in.

"Alright Admiral, we will try to stay out of this battle, but once that shuttle launches, I'm cutting in." Samuel told him, as the Hyper Impulse Cannon, went back into its position, as the Jade Frame drew its Tatsumasa, in other words, the Dragons Sword, into its position, as the sword shined in what sunlight could touch the blade.

Just then, the Admiral's voice, spread through the fequencie to all the Earth Alliance ships. "Alright all ships, close in formation, protect the Archangel, now, Miss Ramius, do not move the Archangel, let the Eighth Fleet show, ZAFT how much power she holds." The Admiral ordered, as the ships, began to use themselves as shields.

"Launch Mobius Units." Hoffman ordered.

"Valkyrie One, Valkyrie two Launch" The mobile Armor compliment officer ordered.

"Ready for Anti Beam Deph Charges!" another soldier relayed, what he was doing. To Samuel this battle was going to be a losing one. Mobile Armors were not even a match for a standard GINN, and without his help, or that of the Strikes and Archangel's, this fleet would be put down for good. Or they would eventually join the graveyard known as the Debris belt.

Jade Frame, cockpit:

"This is a losing battle." Mina commented, as Samuel nodded, as he kept his hands on the controls, as his machine floated beneath the ship, waiting for the shuttle to be jettosened.

"Yeah, however, our primary concern is those civilians, get out of this battle alive. Even if I have to destroy the ship, to get them out of it." Samuel told her, as the monitors continued to watch the formation of the ZAFT machines heading there way. '_Yzak, are you among them, please I don't want to put mom through another son's death._' Samuel told himself within his mind.

However, on the Archangel's bridge, things had become hectic with the Eighth fleets orders, as they were to sit out of this battle, just like with the advance fleet, a week or so prior to now. "Damn, why is the Admiral making us sit this one out to?" Jackie asked, as Murrue had no idea, until the door to the bridge opened behind her.

"Sorry were late." Tolle called out, as the four teenagers came floating into the bridge, heading to the posts they have been doing for such a long time.

Murrue was surprised to see the group of teens on the bridge. She knew Flay has officially assigned with the Earth forces, but not these four. "What. . . What are you doing here?" she asked startled with their appearance.

"They have officially enlisted into the Earth Alliance." Natarle pointed out to her, from her post in the supervisors seat, of the CIC. "Captain Hoffman accepted them, and I approved it." she told the bridge crew.

The captain watched as the four teen settled into their stations once again, ready for the current combat situation that has just begun.

Down by the hangar in the pilots room. Flay Allster, now sporting a pink earth forces uniform, that is much like crewman Haws own uniform. She was reaching into a locker, holding a Earth Forces pilots uniform, right until Kira came through the doorway. "Kira!" Flay called out, as the two were the only occupants of the room. She launcher herself from where she stood, right into the young man, and his arms. Kira's back bounced off the wall of the room, as he was surprised to see her and with her arms around him like this no less.

"Flay, what. . . What are you doing here?" Kira wondered as the two floated in the room, in such an embrace.

Flay looked at the coordinators eyes, with tears forming within her own. "You were going to leave. . . or at least I thought you were going to, and everyone. . ." Flay began to explain. "I decided as everyone except for me is participating in this fight. And I'm the only one who isn't doing anything. . . So I. . ." she began, as Kira looked behind her, seeing his old Earth Forces pilot's uniform floating in the zero gravity.

"Flay, you shouldn't be getting foolish ideas like that." Kira told her, as he looked back into her watery eyes. "A girl like you, in the seat of a mobile suit. You couldn't possibly pilot it."

"But Kira you see. . ." Flay tried to tell him, as he just shook his head to her.

"You don't have to worry Flay. I'll get back into the cockpit of the Strike, and fight for the both of us." Kira told the girl.

"Really Kira?" she asked him as he nodded.

"Yes, I was going to leave." he began as he continued to look at her. "I took what you said to heart, and I wont run away now, or ever again. I will fight to try to end this war." Kira told the red headed girl.

"Then let us fight together." she said almost seductively to Kira, who just looked at her as she touched his shoulder.

"Flay. . ." Kira began as all of a sudden the lips of the two connected.

In space, the Jade Frame began to pick up the singles of the four G-Weapons, until one vanished, signalling that it was the Blitz. "Where is it?" Samuel asked himself, as Mina looked at him.

"Your brother's machine?" Mina asked as Samuel nodded to her.

"Yeah, if he is searching for anyone in the battle its me." he told her, as he kept a channel for what has been going on with the ships in the battle. A moment later, Halberton's voice filled the radio with what was happening between to two large ships.

_"What do you want?" _he asked curtly; he was in the middle of battle operations at that very moment.

"_We wish to move away from the Fleet_," Murrue replied to him. "_It's imperative that we begin our descent sequence now, Admiral. Please authorize it._"

_"You can't be serious! Are you people trying to flee this battle to save yourselves?"_ Halberton demanded.

"_This ship is the enemy's target,_" Ramius said stubbornly. "_We must move away from you! Or else the whole fleet will be destroyed_." She continued to explain to him, "_Alaska is out of the question, but from here we can still reach Earth Forces territory. We can shake off the GINNs and ZAFT vessels at the Earth's atmospheric interface. Admiral!_"

Halberton paused for a long moment, as another of the ships was blown away not far from the Jade Frame intself. Finally, the admiral looked gave into his protoge. _"Murrue Ramius, you haven't changed a bit. Still reckless as ever."_

The young woman could be heard sighing in relief. "_As you well know, a subordinate learns from her superior_."

_"All right, then. Begin preparations for the _Archangel_'s descent now. We'll cover you up to the entry interface."_ He told her._ "We'll make sure not one single enemy gets past us."_

_"All hands, prepare for atmospheric entry interface." _Echoed in the Jade Frame.

"Oh my, things are about to get busy." Mina said with surprise tone within her voice, even though it sounded a bit emotionless.

"Yes I agree." Samuel told her, as the Jade Frame began to pick up the thruster signature of the machine he was looking for. "The Duel, and my my, upgraded with some additional armor." Samuel commented, as he got the image of the Duel Assault shroud, firing various missiles which all detonated on the side of an Earth Forces ship.

With that, the Duel detected the Jade Frame as well, causing Yzak to see exactly who he intended to find, for the scar that continues to burn under various bandages. "There you are." Yzak began to curse under his breath. "You will see what it is like to feel the pain, mom and I have felt over the year, you damn bastard." the silver haired pilot told himself, as the Duel flew towards the main fleet, destroying Mobius Units that got in his way.

"Mina hold on, were going in." Samuel told her, as he hit the thrusters on the machine, as he sped off towards the Duel.

"_Samuel! what are you doing, get back here!_" Halberton's voice called out.

"Sorry Admiral, but this is family business." Samuel told him, as the Jade Frame made its way towards the duel. With that, he changed frequincie to that of the duel. "YZAK!" Samuel called out, as the Duel came forward, with beam sabre in hand, and slicing another mobile armor in half.

"Ragh DIE!" a Ginn pilot yelled as it opened fire on the Jade Frame.

"Not today!" Samuel yelled back, as he had the anti ship sword, go right on through the GINN, killing another of an old comrade, or would of been comrade.

"Damn!" Yzak called, as the beam of the anti ship sword, and the beam sabre connected between the two suits, as another of the Drake Class ships explode beside them, thanks to the busters hyper impulse attack. "Damn you Samorei! have you joined the Earth Alliance now?" Yzak yelled, as the two machine's faces were right infront of each other. "Even after what they did to you?" he asked.

"I would die before I'd join the Earth Forces!" Samuel yelled back, as the two machines broke their engagement, with the Raiden cannon coming up and fired its red and white beam missing the Duel completely and hitting a Earth Forces, Nelson class ship. "Do you truly think that such pain like what they did to me that I even enjoy it?" he asked, as Mina was wondering, and knew he meant the spasms from the aftermath of that last battle.

The Duel dodged a railgun attack from a Mobius unit, which did a fly by attack. However, the Duel took part in an attack of its own, firing his five missile tube launcher new from the Assault Shroud. One missile destroyed a Mobius ad a Drake Class ship was hit hard by the other four. "Then why are you still with them?" he asked.

Mina then reached over to the radio. "Because he is protecting the civilians of my country!" Mina scowled towards the brother of the man infront of her.

"And who the hell are you?" Yzak asked, not knowing who he was even speaking to, as the Jade Frame put away its anti ship sword, and brought out its beam sabre.

"Someone who is a lot scarier than me when she gets mad." Samuel answered, as the beam ignited in its frozen fire state. "Now lets do what your name suggests. Lets DUEL!"

Archangel Hangar:

Mu La Flaga shook his head for what the orders were for the Archangel, "Damn, descending in a battle like this!" he complained as Murdoch just shrugged to Mu's rants.

"What is it going to solve by yelling at me?" Murdoch told the pilot with a shrug. "While I think it's better than just sitting around doing nothing." he told him.

"Yeah thats true but. . ." Mu began until he saw a familiar face enter the hangar.

Which was Kira, floating in, heading for the Strike. "Even if we can avoid the GINNs, and the ships, we still have those machines." Kira mentioned.

"Hey Kid." Murdoch said, full of shock just to see the kid floating by.

"No matter, I'll stand by in the Strike, we are still on level one status right?" the smiling lad asked, as the two Earth Forces personel nodded.

"I thought he got off, with the civilians." Murdoch pointed out.

"At such a young age, and he has already seen his share of battles." Mu commented.

"Yeah, I wonder if the Jade Frame is doing well out there, it is still in the middle of battle." Murdoch added in, as the pilot of the Mobius Zero nodded.

While in space, the duel between the Duel and the Jade Frame continued, as both machines connected their blades together again spitting sparks of fire, when the two connected. Samuel was using the weapons of the Jade Frame to his advantage, as he opened fire with his missile launcher, while adding his beam boomerang into the attack. Yzak used the Duel's shield to take the hit of each weapon, and another beam sabre attack. "Why are you still fighting us? Why not return to the PLANT's?" he asked.

"Because I am suppose to be dead!" he called back, as the two sabres connected to the other mobile suits shield. Just then, a high powered shot from the Busters Sniper shot by the Jade Frame, as the Buster came in after them. "Damn, the buster." Samuel whispered, as he dodged the missiles from the mobile suit, as he counter attacked with is own, and with the impulse rifle of the Raiden.

"Dearka Stay out of this!" Yzak yelled at his friend as the two mobile suits flew beside each other, as the Jade Frame looked at both machines.

Dearka on the other hand was confused, even though somewhat glad, as the Jade Frame was not even attacking as the two machines exchanged words. "What's going on here Yzak?"

"Just shut up, and let me do this Dearka, go and fight off the rest with Athrun and Nicol." Yzak told him, as the Buster began to float away.

"Alright, I'll go for the Legged Ship." Deraka reluctantly told his friend.

The Jade Frames hip mounted Raiden went into position. "Oh no you don't, I still have friends there." Samuel yelled, as he aimed at the Buster.

"I knew you joined the alliance!" Yzak yelled, as then both machines came charging at Samuel.

"I told you I would never join the alliance!" Samuel yelled, as his own eyes changed from what Yzak spoke of moments ago. And from what has been happening since the battle with the Advance Fleet. His eyes become as blank as a person who would go Seed, however crows feet formed around his own eyes. As outside, the golden look of the Jade Frames eyes, changed to there erie white. With that, the three machines, two G-Weapons, facing off against an Astray Prototype.

In the hangar, Kira and Mu waited within their machines, waiting for the word to launch into combat. '_This is insane, we should of been ordered to launch, Sam's one mobile suit will not be able to win this battle. Heck he got pretty damaged up facing Duel, Buster, and Blitz, how will he stand against all four?_' Kira asked himself, as he was very impatient within the Strike. All the Strike pilot knew, is that Samuel had engaged with his brother, and that the Eighth fleet, is being torn to shreds by the G-Weapons. That was when he heard on the radio the worst news yet.

"_The Duel and Buster are broken through, the Jade Frame is engaging them, and seems to be on the ropes._" Chandra radioed throughout the ship. "_A Group of GINNs have came in with them, the Menelaos is engaged in COMBAT!_"

Kira cursed under his breath, until he made radio contact witht he Mobius Zero. "Mu, if we don't do something now-" Kira began as Mu knew what he was thinking.

"Your right kid. La Flaga to the bridge." Mu called to them. "Captain we need to be out there, how much time do we have left?" he asked the bridge.

Murrue's face appeared on the monitor of the Zero, however Kira could hear the exchange. "What are you thinking, you want us to-" she tried to get out.

"According to the specs of the Strike, it should be able to make re entry on its own, like the Jade Frame." Kira pointed out, earning small gasps from people on the bridge noticeing Kira has returned to them.

Murrue was just plainly confused with his appearance. "Kira what are you- I thought you left!" she said, still in disbelief.

"It does not matter!" Kira told her. "Samuel can only hold those machines off for only a little while. If we don't do something, Orb would go to chaos, knowing that its civilians, and one of their Nobles die here in battle. And surely if we don't try, the Menelao's will be destroyed!" Kira shouted at her.

Murrue was surprised at Kira's tone towards her. However, Natarle took this time to do what is right, and give the Strike Permission. "_Alright Kira, prep for launch. Just remember to return during phase three. The specs may say it can, but it was only tested in the lab. We don't know how hot it will get in there._" she warned the pilot. "_Keep a constant eye on the Altitude and temperature gadges, if they alter to fast, get back here!_" she told him.

"Yes ma'am" Mu added in, as the hangar came abuzz.

"Ensign Badgiruel!" Murrue said in surprise of what she had done.

"Captain, if this ship is destroyed, then the sacrifices made here today, will be in Vain." Natarle told her. And with that, both officers looked at each other with angered looks.

Back in the hangar, Mu's Zero was set on the Starboard catapult, as his machine prepped for launch. "Hey kid becareful out there, this scenario is new to me as well, so we can expect anything." he told the coordinator.

In the port side, as usual, the Strike set onto the linear catapult, as the side areas began to move, to equip the Strike. "Kira Yamato, Strike Gundam, heading out!" Kira called, as the fully equipped Strike launched.

Mu, lowered his visor as he began to do the same thing. "Mu La Flaga, Mobius Zero, heading out!" Mu called out, as both the Mobile Armor and Mobile suit shot off into the battle.

As a battle was faught, the Jade Frame dodged an attack from the Buster, as the three machines were getting close to the gravity well of the Planet. Soon, they would be in the point of no return of the Planets gravity. "Mina, prepare to get a bit warmer, we are already heading into Re Entry." Samuel told his passenger, as his shield blocked a double assault from the Busters two guns. As it then dodged an attack from the Duel's own weaponry. Both of the captured weapons even knowing full well what was happening, was not letting up on the Jade Frame. "What's this?" Samuel asked, as his equipment showed the Gamow heading off course, and was actually heading towards the Archangel. However, the Menelaos was contemplating this as well.

Aboard the Vesalius, Ades and Creuset were confused with the tatics there comrades were now doing. "Gamow you are out to far, you will be caught in the well!" Ades warned his comrades. "Just what are you doing?" he asked.

Captain Zelman appeared on the screen of the bridge. "_We know, and we are willing to pay the price for what we are about to do. We are going to get rid of that Legged ship here and now!" _Zelman called back. _"For the Glory of ZAFT!_" He yelled, as the Lauraisia class ship opened fire with all its weaponry, as its engines went to full, taking right towards the Archangel.

As in space, the ship was heading towards the Archangel, however the Menelao's did what it was meant to do for this battle as it got into the path of the two ships. "Not if I can help it." the Admiral said with a sneer on his face, with his ships own weapons opening fire. "Launch the shuttle!" he called out, as the shuttle with the Archangel's rescued civilians launched from what the Admiral, and his crew knew that the ship was doomed. "Murrue." the man whispered. "God speed to you, and hopefully your ship will end this war." the Admiral concluded, as outside, everyone of the ships, and forces saw, the Lauraisa and that of the Menelaos collided with each other.

"No, damn it!" Samuel called out, thinking the shuttle with the civilians never even made it out in time. Kira however, knew that the sadness of the lost ship will go on for days, however, now was not the time to wheap, as he came in slashing at the Duel. "Kira!" Samuel called in surprise.

"Samuel go, I'll hold of the duel, the Menelao's launched its shuttle!" Kira called franticly, as Samuel then noticed that Kira spoke the truth.

"Go kid, we will handle this!" Mu called out, as all four of his gunbarrels came out, as he spun his machine in a barrel role, sending a shower of live ammo upon the buster.

"Right." Samuel said, as he used his main thrusters, to turn and head for the remains of the now lost ship. With that, the Duel tried to go after him.

But before he could the Strike got in the path. "Get out of my way Strike, or you will Strike out!" Yzak called out, as the two machines faught in the Melee of Death.

Aboard the Archangel, the destruction of the Rear Admiral was the hardest on the ships captain. Her Mentor was now gone, and he was the one that had the ship she is now in created, along with its strongest weapon. Now he was gone, as time seemed to slow down to her.

However, for the others, time was right on track, as Jackie reported the next step in their re entry plan. "We are nearly at phase three."

"Alright, recall our machines." Murrue said becoming her captain self again. With this, the only things left, was the Archangel and her machines, along with all four of ZAFTs machines.

Out in space, Kira and Mu got their orders to return. "Damn, this is all the time I got." he cursed, as the Mobius turned around and went back towards its ship, useing its Piton, as an anchor to draw himself in. However, the Buster had no such luck, as it went at Maximum thrust, however he had passed through the point of no return. "Damn, I just hope that these things are as versatile as they say!" Dearka yelled, as the Buster fell towards the Earth.

However, back with Kira and the Duel, Kira got the upper hand in the sword fight of the two, as the Strike kicked the machine in the head, knocking it back even further. With this, Kira began his own retreat. "Your not getting away from me!" Yzak yelled, as he took aim, which was then faltered, as the shuttle of Heliopolis refugees passed through his aim, which threw it off from hitting the Strike. "What?" Yzak wondered as he saw the shuttle. "You dare run away from this battle?" Yzak asked, as Kira turned to see the Duel aiming at a very familiar shuttle.

"No." Kira thought, as he wondered where the Jade Frame was. No matter, if it was not there, he would have to do it himself, as he hit his veiners to their maximum output, to go intercept the Duel once again.

To Yzak, the ones in the shuttle were fleeing soldiers, just because of the shuttle that was being used. "How dare you get in my way!" he called as his rifle took aim. However, as time began to slow, the rifle never fired, infact it vanished in a pillar of energy, as the Jade Frame came down with the Raiden under one arm, and the anti ship sword in the other.

"No you DON'T!" Samuel yelled, as the beam melted away the gun, as the Anti Ship Sword, came crashing down, destroying the railgun on the shoulder that the rifle was in the hand of.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Yzak yelled, as the blast knocked him down further, causing his mobile suit to head towards the Planet.

"Yzak!" Sam called out for concern of his brother, who he had just sent plummeting down to the Planet below.

"Samuel we got to go now!" Kira called out, as both machines went towards the Archangel, the shuttle was alright, however earlier in the fight, many of the add ons, have already begun to melt away because the Gell was not administered in time.

The two machines flew side by side, until they were blocked by a group of GINNs, but what was worst about it, was that each one was equipped with an Ion Rifle. And even though heading down to Earth, the Buster was a long ranged machine, as it combined both of its rifles. "Kira look out!" Samuel called, as he pushed the Strike into the Atmosphere, as it dodged and got caught as well.

"DAMN!" Kira yelled, as his machine fell into the Atmosphere as well.

"Mina! prepare for a bumpy ride!" Samuel called out.

African Community, Desert Waste Land

The Jade Frame continued its descent with its speed increasing. "Damn, changing all emergency power into the thrusters." Samuel informed Mina, as the machine began to put its feet down, and began to detach the melted equipment, even some of its own. The Missile Launcher and the beam boomerang, melted away with the Re-entry which were now just stumps which were ejected to get rid of some friction. The Jade Frame was now just its ordinary self, with its sword, Launcher, and Binsoku pack, the only things that were left. "Just hold on tight." he told her, as the ground came ever closer.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" The two yelled, as the Jade Frame hit the sand, and began to cool the machine, as it went right into a Sand Dune, only having half its Binsoku Pack, and the left half of the machine still visible to anyone that could see the machine.

However, for the Occupants, the both of them, were kept with their harnests on, however they were no longer conscious.

A/N: Woot, took me 2 days to write this, and I know it seems rushed, I was just well, feel a bit rushed wanting to update this as fast as I can, even with Work interfereing with it.

I hope you all enjoyed this, and Review it to your pleasure, I always love getting them, and to me, they make more of a interesting read, than re reading the chapter itself.


	12. Chapter 12: The Endless Sands of

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, that belongs to Sunrise. However, the character Samuel Lewis aka Samorei Joule is mine, and the Jade Frame, is my customed design of the Astray Machines!

* * *

Chapter 12: The Endless Sands of the Desert 

The Sun, has risen into the sky after a night, of falling stars, or the burning remains of the battle overhead had stopped. One of these stars are known for sure to have landed right in the middle of the African desert. However, miles away from the Archangel, in the town of Banadiya, ZAFT forces stood guard around the town. It's streets, were a buzz of commotion, with word on the shooting the stars just the night before. Several of the buildings look of the buildings usually found in a desert town. The largest was that of a mansion, that looked to be of once Noble family building. Around the building, were mobile suits, ones of ZAFT. Several, were the orange and black GINN machine known as the TMF/S-3 GINN OCHER, as GINN made for desert combat.

Down on the ground, a young woman, with azure blue hair walked down the walkway towards the buildings main entrance. The girl had dark green eyes, and wore a blue jumpsuit over her entire body. The next thing that she wore was her pink vest, that had many pockets upon it. Once she got to the main doors, she took a card out of her pocket, and swiped it against a Indentification device required to enter, as she did.

Up one level of the building, a steaming cup of coffee had some steam rising from its position. On the handle of the cup, was a hand that belonged to a man, with dark brown hair, with side burns going down the sides of his face. He wore a black and orange shirt, with a pair of blue pants. "Hmm, so these are what we are to do." the man, known as the desert tiger smirked, as across from him, was a lovely woman, wearing a blue jump suit, with dark blue hair, with orange highlight bangs, and extremly dark blue eyes. The desert tiger passed the papers he was reading to the woman.

"Oh, hmhmhmhm." she laughed. "So we are to investigate those 'stars' that fell last night?" the woman asked.

"Yeah, so it seems." the tiger grinned, as he stood with a stretch. "Aisha! Assemble the team to the Lesseps." he said turning to her with a grinn, as he then took a sip of his coffee. "But first, another cup of coffee." he told her, as Aisha rolled her eyes at her commander and love.

With that, a knock on the door came, as Aisha walked over to open it, as the Tiger poored himself another cup, of a personal brew. At the door, was the azure blue haired girl, as soon as Aisha opened it, the younger one, gave a salute. "Hey Al, have a good trip into town?" Aisha asked the girl.

The younger girl nodded, as she took the bag, and set it on the table. "Yeah, and commander here." she said throwing Waltfeld a can, which seemed to be that of coffee beans. "Your fresh shipment." she said with a smirk.

"Thanks Allenby, it was quite appreciated you got me this." Waltfeld commented, as he began to add it to his cup. "You want some before your next mission?" he asked her.

"No, but what is this about a next mission?" Allenby asked, as Aisha pointed towards the papers on the desk nearby. Allenby picked the papers up, as she looked through it. "So H Q wants us to investigate these things?" she asked as Aisha nodded. "Oh thank god, I'm up for a good fight." She joked, as Waltfeld chuckled a bit. "For a second, I thought you wanted me to go get another of those packages." She told the commander with a smirk.

* * *

Archangel Captains' Office 

A finger pointed to a map of the world, at a blue are that was Alaska, of the united states just west of the Yukon Territory of Canada. "This is Alaska." Mu commented, as he dragged his finger along the map to a red area, among North Africa. "And this is where we are, right in the middle of ZAFT territory." he pointed out, to the only other occupant of the room. Both of them, sighed in the room.

Murrue's was a heavier sigh, "We didn't really have a choice, we could not return to Alaska, without the Strike, and all that, we couldn't let it happen." she commented. "And I'm worried about Mina and Samuel."

The now Liutenant commander nodded. "Yeah, however the both of them are resourceful. I have no doubt, that they survived the fall, especially with that re-entry equipment." Mu told her, as he then looked at her. "How is our pilot though, Kira?" Mwu asked the woman.

"Yeah, Hibson gave a report earlier, it said that he passed out from the heat of Re-entry." Murrue pointed out to the commander. "His fever is still rather high, but it should return to normal sometime soon. He should be fine in a few days." she explained.

"Yeah, we should be glad the kid is a coordinator." Mu pointed out to her. "Hmm, now that I think about it from what you said about Mina and Samuel. I wonder if they made it back to Orb?" he wondered.

* * *

African Desert, Jade Frame Location. 

In the middle of the desert, the Jade Frame, layed half burried in the sand, with its phase shift armor completely powered down. Within it, the one Samuel Lewis, or rather Samorei Joule began to stir within the cockpit. He pushed himself up a bit, wondering what is going on. "What? What's going on?" he wondered looking around what was infront of him. "Last thing I remember."

_To Yzak, the ones in the shuttle were fleeing soldiers, just because of the shuttle that was being used. "How dare you get in my way!" he called as his rifle took aim. However, as time began to slow, the rifle never fired, infact it vanished in a pillar of energy, as the Jade Frame came down with the Raiden under one arm, and the anti ship sword in the other._

_"No you DON'T!" Samuel yelled, as the beam melted away the gun, as the Anti Ship Sword, came crashing down, destroying the railgun on the shoulder that the rifle was in the hand of._

_"AHHHHHHHH!" Yzak yelled, as the blast knocked him down further, causing his mobile suit to head towards the Planet._

"Yzak!" Samuel said in shock, as he turned to see Mina in the same state he was. "Mina."he called, undoing his harnest, and reaching over to her neck. He placed two of his forefingers, over her jungular vein, and found that her heart was pumping regulary. "Thank the goddess." were all the words he said, as he then began to check his equipment. "Damn, long range scanners are knocked out. Radio is out, power, I have enough for two hours." he said checking the systems. "Furthest distance I can scan, is four miles. And it seems, that we are surrounded by sand dunes." He told himself. "This is bad, very very bad." he told himself. With that, he activated some of the remaining power, to stand the mobile suit up right, as he had it kneel where it stood, as the feet began to slip. "Damn," he told himself, as he then began to change the OS, to compensate for the sand. "Ok, change this here, and do this, and well that should do it." Samuel commented, as he had the Jade Frame regain what footing, as now the mobile suit kneeled in the sand, Raiden, and the Tatsumasa were placed in their waiting area, as the mobile suit powered down. The cockpit opened, with the sun beating down on the machine, and sand grains falling from the cockpit, and the rest of the machine. Within moments, he came to the conclusion he was in a desert, however which. Africa, Austrailia, or in the United States. Each one is bad news, for him because either the Earth forces, or ZAFT occupied those areas. However, as he noticed where he was, he did not like the heat, and began to strip some of the clothing he had on, and that of the pilots uniform. What he had, was his pants, on but with no shirt. This revealed muscle tone not visible through the clothing he wore. His physical body was very well toned in muscle, as he stretched his neck a little. He jumped out, which in the end filled his shoes with sand.

"The Desert, the sea of sand." he said looking over the desert. "The one place I hope I was not going to end up at." he continued to tell himself, as he bent down, to look at the sand, to see if he could tell what continent he was at least on. However, when he realized that during the re-entry, he realized, that the land mass, he was heading towards, was Africa. "Damn, I am such a fool." he said holding some sand in his hand, as it drifted to the ground, and blew in the wind. Within moments, he climbed back into the mobile suit, and moved its hand to create some shade in a small little area. With that, he slowly moved Mina's unconscious body. (A/N: NO DIRTY THOUGHTS! even though I am thinking them.)

As the both of them were lowered by the cable, to the ground, he lowered her onto the sand. And with no intentions to take advantage of her, even though, he began to undress the woman. He did not want the woman to die of heat exhaustion. He got her to the last layer before her underwear, and if she felt like going lower she would when she awaken. After she was stripped down to her lowest layer, Samuel moved her under the hand, for shade and shelter. Who knows when the next sand storm would hit. He sat beside the womans motionless body, as he felt the sand between his fingers, as he did so by kicking off his shoes, and removing the socks as well. "Well, I may as well try cleaning this thing." he told himself, getting up, and going to clean the mobile suit, as Mina layed under the hand.

* * *

Archangel, Doctors Office: 

Kira himself was laying in a bed, something Mina would most likley rather be in. However, for Kira Flay Alster tended to him, while the students chatted with doctor Hibson about the young coordinator's condition. ". . . so as I was saying, there seems to be no internal damage." the doctor told them. "All we can really do, is let him rest, give him plenty of liquids, and lower his temperature." the doctor informed them.

"So is that it?" Sai asked him, as Hibson just nodded.

Then he shrugged. "I don't truly know to be honest, the kid is the first coordinator I ever treated." he informed them. "He may look like the rest of us, but on the inside, he is completely different. Sure he may get sick once in a while. And he have a better chance with a bullet in him that we would. So, all I can say that he will be ok." he told them. "Did anyone even tell you how hot it was in that cockpit."

"No", Mir answered the question. "We didn't." she told him.

"Oh, I assure you none of us could survive. Heck, I don't even know if the Jade Frame got out of it." he told them, getting questionable looks. "Mina Sahaku, I just wonder if she lived."

'_What does he mean? she told me and Flay she was a coordinator, unless!'_ "Yeah, I do hope she is alright."

"Yeah your telling me." Hibson continued. "She may be our best bet to get Orb to join us." this earned some looks from the students, who were all Orb Citizens, before the crisis at Heliopolis. "However, your friend here, is different, and survive much more, than what we can." he told them.

Sai, looked over to where Kira layed, who was being watched over by Flay. "I. . . See." Sai sighed. "His. . . Abilities. . . are Different." he commented.

"La Flaga here." Mu's voice was heard from the other side of the medical rooms hatch. "I'm coming in." he told all of them, as he walked through the doorway. The doorway slid aside, as he came in seeing each of the students. "Ok. . ., is there something I should know?" he asked.

"Oh nothing sir." the doctor told the pilot. "Just explaining to them, that there friend will be just fine, and explaining about Ensign Yamato's health." Hibson told him. As each of them, looked at the pilot who layed in bed.

* * *

African Desert, Lasseps 

The blue haired Allenby stood looking up, to an Azure blue BuCUE. Beside it, were other BuCUEs as well. The difference for the blue machine, and the others, is that it had a gun on its back, and side mounted missile launchers. "Excuse me Allenby!" came the voice, of Commander Watlfeld's protege Martin DaCosta, with flaming red short hair.

"What is it Martin?" she asked, looking at him now rather than her machine.

"The Commander, is putting you in charge as usual for the Mobile Suit squad, he asked you to give briefing to them." he told her, as she just rolled her eyes.

"How many of them are new?" she asked.

"Six of them are new, the others have the day off." She was told, as Allenby nodded.

"Ok, but they better know how to fight, I'm not training them, like that last bunch, when that blue and white Mobile suit attacked last time." she told him.

"Oh, yeah that, well it seems the legged ship had a machine like that one, however it was Jade. Rather than blue." DaCoasta told her, as she remembered such a report. Made by Yzak Joule.

"I truly wonder if that guy, is it's true pilot." she whispered.

"You talking about Samorei?" he asked. "That one that died at Junius Seven."

"Yeah, its because I dated the guy, and I felt terrible, because I broke up with him, a week before that day." She told him, with a tear forming in one of her eye's.

"You crying vice commander?" he asked.

"Just old memories is all, now, I'm off to the briefing room." she told the young man, as she left. Martin just watched the girl walk towards the briefing room, onboard the Lesseps.

* * *

Jade Frame: Middle of the Desert 

Samuel worked on cleaning his machine giving a good scrub, with a wet cloth in an elbow's joint, as he worked on getting the sand out of the machine. The Jade Frame, continued its kneeling, however had both hands over Mina, to shade her from the sun's rays. For the past few hours, he has been working on the cleaning of his machine, even though he was still finding pieces of the lost boomerang, and missile launcher, each scattered around the area. "Man, it will take me days to fix this machine." He whined, as his stomach growled a bit. With this, he hopped into the cockpit, and grabbed some military rations, of the Earth Forces variety. However, before he began to eat, he took one of the clothing he took off earlier, and a canteen of water from the Jade Frame's Cargo hold, on the Binsoku pack. He took a drink for himself, as he bit onto the ration, as he jumped to the ground, and walked over to where the sleeping Mina layed.

He kneeled beside her, continueing to eat, as he kneeled down beside the sleeping coordinator. Within moments, he had sit her upright, supporting her with his left arm, and leg, while beginning to pour some water, in her mouth, and rubbing her throat for the reaction of her to swallow. However, she began to cough, opening her eyes, as she saw Samuel holding her. "Where. . . where am I?" she asked.

"Welcome to Africa, well the Desert area of North Africa." he told her, as she began to feel the heat of the desert sun.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"Since I awakened; six hours, however since before then, I have no Idea." Samuel answered her.

"And why are most of my clothes gone?" she asked, looking to see of what she was wearing, as Samuel blushed a bit on that. "Oh you didn't, did you?" she asked as he raised both hands infront of him in defence.

"No no no no!" he told her, waving both of his hands. "I only took off some of your clothes, so you wouldn't get to hot from the desert." he explained to her. "I don't know how well you are adapted to this kind of terrain, so I didn't want to take any chances." he continued.

"Oh, I see." she commented, as she layed back in the sand. "So what is our current situation?" she asked.

"Well, night will fall soon, that is as far as I can tell truly, but besides that, I have nothing to report." he told her, as he then peered towards the Jade Frame. "Besides us being on the other side of the Planet, from Orb, and that the Jade Frame needs its battery recharged before we can even go anywhere."

"I see, so we are stranded in the middle of the desert with limited supplies." Mina sighed, as she looked out on the horizon. "Any idea on any towns nearby?" she asked.

"No, I have been here the whole time, I have yet to go on a recon mission. Besides, this is Africa, home of some of the most dangerous predators, so I wanted to stay nearby just incase any of them, thought you a carcass." he told her, with a wink, as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah sure." she told him, as she stood up, a little wobbly for being out for so long.

"Whoa, take it easy, after a nap that long, you will still feel a bit groggy." Samuel warned her, as he held a hand of hers, and supported her with his other arm.

"Thanks." she said as her red eyes, and his blue eyes, looked upon each other. "Ok, Samuel I know what your thinking, and the answer is no." she told him, with a smirk, as his shot into his head, knowing that she knew him better than he thought. "However, I will give this from that mind of yours." as she gave him a peck of a kiss, just shy of his mouth. This caught him by surprise, as his face flushed red.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Exactly for the reason why you stayed here, and that you are doing a better job than anyone at protecting me." she told him.

He looked at her, as the two continued to hold each others hand, as the walked into the now cooling night. "So, the night of the desert sands, spreads over the desert." he commented, as Mina sat down, having him follow.

"Tell me, are you a poet, because, a lot of these things you say sounds a lot like poetry?" she asked him, as he just nodded.

"Yeah, I also read a lot when I grew up, anything from war stories, to romance." he told her, as he layed in the sand, looking to the sky. Mina also layed beside him, looking to the stars as well. "We will get back to Orb, don't worry." he informed her, as he continued to look to the sky.

"Yeah, those people are very important to me, and to the rest of my family. However, Ghina is getting less, and less caring towards them." she told him, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, speaking of family, I wonder how mom took the news, that I am alive?" he wondered out loud.

"Oh I don't know." she told him, as they continued to wonder about there family.

"I almost forgot." Samuel began. "Even though it is an anniversary for one of the worst catastrophe's, of our era, but happy Valentines day." he told her, as she nodded.

"Same to you Samuel." she told him keeping a hold of his hand.

* * *

Archangel Infirmary. 

Kira finally began to stir, after his own time of being unconscious from the time of re-entry. His eyes flattered open, as his mind filled with questions about the battle in orbit. About how, that the Jade Frame vanished towards the Planet. "Where. . . where am I?" he questioned out loud, as he turned to see Flay sitting right beside his bed.

"So, you've finally awaken." Flay calmly said, with a smirk seeing the man, she kissed a week or so ago. However, the smirk became a look of pure concern, as Kira tried to sit up right. "No Kira, you mustn't move!" she warned him, slowing him down. "Kira, you shouldn't try to get up so quickly!" she pleaded to him.

Kira realized, that he was really tired, and slowly lowered himself back into the bed. "Flay?" he said in a low surprised tone. "Where am I?" he asked her.

"We are in the Archangel's infirmary." she informed him, as he then noticed, that his weight has increased from since he was on the Archangel, last from what he could remember.

"Gravity, so we made it alright, right?" he asked the red headed female, who seemed to have some intentions of her own within her mind.

"Yeah, we landed, in the middle of the African desert." she informed the strike's pilot. "You have been out for a day now, and the doctor says you should continue to rest." she urged him.

"Yeah your right." he said, remembering that Samuel saved the shuttle, that he and him, fought so hard to help protect, since January. "What of Samuel, is he?" he asked her as she closed her eyes.

Flay remembered, that Mina was a first generation Coordinator, and that Samuel was a second generation. "We don't know Kira, all we know is, that there descent was not in the direction of Orb." she informed him. "I'm sorry Kira, but I'm sure the two are alright, you know Samuel, he'll protect miss Sahaku any way possible." she told him.

"Yeah, he did clone himself a bunch of times, to stay by her no matter what." he said with a chuckle as Flay nodded.

'_And that she is a coordinator, makes the two harder for me. However, I can't use Samuel, because she has him, however you Kira._' she silently told herself, as she looked at the laying coordinator.

* * *

Archangel Hangar: 

Murdoch, and Mu La Flaga, checked over the latest edition to the Archangel, mobile weapons armament. The Strike Gundam's support unit, the FX-550 Skygrasper mobile armor. "I went over the manual last night on this thing." Mu commented, as he went over the jet like machine. "It seems to be a lot of fun, from what I read."

"Yeah, she's top of the line, the latest model." Murdoch commented, as he looked over the machine. As they spoke on the two machines. "And not to mention, they are working on a space variant for the machine as well." he commented.

"Yeah, the Cosmograsper." Mu pointed out, as he looked at the cockpit of the machine. "And that they can be given some extra firepower, because of being able to mount striker packs." he pointed out. "But what am I now, a delivery boy to the kid?" he asked.

This was a interesting question, as even alone the machines were capable fighters, and were designed to support, and re equip the Strike, in mid battle. Also they could use the packs, weaponry on their own.

"Well Lieutenant, . . . Oh sorry, Commander." Murdoch corrected himself. "With you flying the machine, we know that all deliveries are guarantee, in the heated day, or through the hail of night." Murdoch told him with a smirk.

However, he got the reply of a snort from the pilot. "I'm grateful to the Admiral for giving me such a promotion." he commented as he jumped down, onto the ground, walking towards the tire, as he gave it a kick. "The pay is good, when I can actually get it." he continued on. "And not to mention, where I can even spend it."

"Well, your back pay should be pretty impressive, when we get back to friendly territory." Murdoch chuckled. "Hey, even the kid's won't be bad; they've made _him_ and Ensign already. Guess it makes sense; he _is_ a pilot, after all."

"And the rest are all Crewman 2nd class." La Flaga shook his head. "Man oh man."

"Ah, they'll turn into great soldiers before you know it." The mechanic raised an eyebrow. "By the way, how's the kid's fever?"

"I hear it went down a little while; they tell me he's even awake." The pilot shook his head again.

"Honestly, I'm not sure whose construction is more impressive: the Strike's or that youngster's." He paused, scratching his head. "By the way, do you have any idea why Kira keeps referring to that mobile suit as the 'Gundam'?"

"Oh, that." Murdoch laughed. "It appears on the activation screen. General Unilateral Neurolink... something or other. Anyway, take the first letter from each word and that's what you get." He shrugged. "Makes more sense than the military simply calling them G-weapons."

"That's true. Say..." La Flaga began, as he remembered, the other mobile suit that stood in this hangar. "Has there been any word on Samorei, or miss High and Mighty Orb noble?" he asked.

"Nope nothing, and if Samuel heard that, I wonder if he would laugh, or break some bone of yours?" Murdoch wondered, as the two men, let out a hardy laugh. "However, that Jade Frame was based on the Strike, so there is a high chance that it made it down in one piece." he briefed the newly appointed Skygrasper pilot. "Not to mention, the eighth fleet, gave him re entry gear." he continued on.

* * *

Archangel Cafeteria. 

Within the place of food, it was more silent than it used to be, with Samuel's clones, and the refugees, now no longer in the room. However, four of the six remaining people from Heliopolis still onboard the ship. "Really?" Mir was saying. "Kira's already regained consciousness?"

"Yeah," Tolle confirmed. "It happened just a little while ago."

"The Doctor says he's okay," Sai continued, "so they transferred him back to his quarters. Flay went over there a little while ago to take his meal to him."

At that moment, the hatch opened and Flay herself entered, carrying a pair of empty meal trays.

"Hello, everyone."

"Hi, Flay," Mir greeted. "So how's Kira?"

"He seems to be recovering nicely," the red-haired girl replied. "His appetite didn't suffer, anyway; I just finished eating with him." Then, under her breath, "It's vital that Kira gets better as quickly as possible." she told herself. "Samuel is no longer here, to help him." she continued.

Mir took those last parts, rather wierd, even though it seems the others did not see some background to what she was saying. "Well, I'm glad to here he's okay." she commented.

"You must be tired," Sai added in as he saw, that she was tired a bit. "You were by Kira's side all night, weren't you? You should get some rest, too."

"I'm doing just fine, really," Flay assured them. "Besides, it's not like I have an actual job on this ship yet; not like the rest of you." She then added in to herself, in a near whisper "His body really is different... the things he can do..." she continued, still seeing Mir, was giving her an odd look.

"Uh Flay?" Sai questioned, as he was concerned for the woman.

"WHAT!" she almost yelled at the blonde who seems to be only worried about her well being.

Sai backed away a little bit from this outburst. "No, nothing but. . ." he tried to say to her.

"Sai," she said, lowering the volume of her voice, as she looked at the man she was destined to marry "our relationship was something arranged by my father. But as you can see, he's no longer around. So I don't see any reason why we should remain bound by it." She look at him with her eyes, as a strange smile was made upon her face. "It was just a verbal agreement, that's all. We might as well just forget it." And with that, Flay left a devastated Sai in her wake.

"Flay I. . ." Sai tried to tell her.

* * *

Archangel, Crew Quarters, Kira's room 

Kira, now being an officer of the Earth Alliance, he had a room of his own, even though he had another occupant, as Birdy stayed on his finger, acting like a real bird, as though it was cleaning its feathers. He thought, of what could of happened to that shuttle, and if Samuel was not there to protect it. "Samuel, what are you, I know your machine doesn't change its eye color normally, so why does it, and your spasms after that battle, just what is up with you?" Kira asked himself as he layed back on the bed.

"Just what is going on about him?" he continued to wonder.

That was when a knock on the door came. "Kira?" Flay's voice sounded on through. As she came into the room.

* * *

Desert, few Kilometers away from the Archangel. 

The Lesseps, began to launch BuCUEs, as several dark blue models of the land mobile suit launched from the scale system useing ship. As four desert Jeeps drove from it, as well, then as the last one came out, a Azure blue BuCUE, with two missile launchers on the sides of the machine, and with a gun turrent on its back, as the others carried their own turrets on their backs. It was like a pack of wolves, had begun there hunt, as the six quadrouped machines ran across the desert, like a giant pack of dogs.

"This is Allenby." Allenby called out, as she wore, a pink and blue ZAFT pilots suit, much like Andy's orange and black one, just in different colors. She sat in the cockpit of the machine, as its red eye continued to glow.

"_Waltfeld here, what is it Al?_" Andrew replied, as he drove in a jeep, alongside DaCoasta, however, he had a travelers cup of coffee, from the beans Allenby was sent out to get for him.

"Just checking in, everyone else, check in now." She continued.

"Shecks here."

"Barnaby here."

"Redwood here."

"Molor here."

"Regard here." The BuCUE pilots began.

"_Alright, everyone today, we are gathering information on our new prey, the legged ship, and its mobile suit, the GAT-X105 Strike_" Waltfeld informed each of them, as the BuCUE's, and the jeeps sped off, towards there prey. The Archangel Class ship, the Archangel.

* * *

A/N: I'm hoping everyone is enjoying the story so far, and I would like to hear from each and everyone of you, to see how you like this. I accept all, and I mean all types of reviews, and they give me inspiration to write even more. 

I hope you all like this, and the G-Gundam Character Allenby added in. She may not be the same as in the actual series G-Gundam, I never seen it ever, and I mean Ever before, so I don't know her true way of acting, so she may seem OOC, like Mina apparently is, according to some of my readers. That is because I have never read the Astray Mangas.

I hope you all liked this chapter, and eager to see the next. I'm hoping to get it as early as this, but with Work, my hours are unpredictable, so I can't tell for sure. Hope everyone has a great summer, I know I wont lol.


	13. Chapter 13: Waltfeld's Warriors

Chapter 13: Waltfeld's Warriors

* * *

The night of the desert was cool, as the night of such area's usually were. However, to Andrew the Desert Tiger Waltfeld, he stood on the passenger side of his jeep, taking a sip, of freshly brewed mug of coffee. To both sides of the calm ZAFT commander, were massive dog like mobile suits, known as the BuCUE, as each of these machines were heading towards one of the landing locations of the falling stars.

"BuCUE team, do you see the Legged Ship yet?" DaCoasta asked, as the two BuCUE's ahead of the Jeep's eyes, glowed, activating there longer ranged scanner.

"_Yes sir, the Recon BuCUE, is safely from there sensors, and we are about fifteen minutes from its location._" One of the soldiers informed their commander's protege.

"Good, and remember, our main prey is the G-Weapon, that gave even Rau Le Creuset such a hard time." Waltfeld told them, with a smirk on his face.

* * *

Archangel, Bridge

Only a few bridge members, were upon the bridge at this time. As Natarle Badgiruel ruled the bridge, as her captain, was having some long needed rest. She was wondering, and somewhat worried about Mina Sahaku, and Samuel Lewis, as they were there best links to Orb, to have them join the alliance. Especially, as the Jade Frame, was not in the right angle, do to fighting in that battle overhead. Besides her, only two other people were onboard the bridge, at this time. Newly appointed Ensigns, Arnold Neuman, and Romero Pal, kept watch, over the Archangel's detection equipment. As they were still in enemy territory. Arnold Neuman, however, sat in his chair thinking. _"Too few, people are still on this ship, I wish the people from the eighth fleet made it. That would gives us a more civilized schedule._" he told himself, as he took a drink of water, from his Zero gravity container.

When he finished, he did what he usually has done, since Heliopolis and left it in mid air, however, now with gravity, it did what he did not expect, and fell to the floor. "Ensign Neuman." Natarle said, tiredly as she walked over, and picked up the bottle. "Try to remember, we are in a gravity well now, would you?" she asked him, more amused then angry. "I don't want to explain to the captain, why the bridge is soaking wet." she continued.

"Yes Ma'am." he said getting more awake, as he got the bottle back. "I'll try to keep that in mind." he told her.

"Good, and besides, we could go into combat at any moment, this is Enemy territory after all." she told him. As with this, the entire ship, seemed to be at peace, Murrue slept as she could finally with some peace. Mu La Flaga, had somewhat passed out, in the cockpit of his Skygrasper unit, Kira Yamato, layed in his own bed, feeling reliefed, as Flay Allster laying down, right beside him.

* * *

However, unknown to them, over a horizon of Sand Dunes, Andrew Waltfeld watched the archangel, with night vision Binoculars. "So there she is, the Earth Forces, new Mobile Assault ship." Andrew clarified, with a grin, as behind him, his BuCUE's waited to attack, as each of there pilots stood in the sand not far from the jeep.

"Commander, all men accounted for, and ready for combat." Allenby informed him, as her Azure blue BuCUE stood not to far from her.

"Good. Get to your machines, and send in the helicopters in there first, we need them spooked, to launch what we truly want to test." he told them with a smirk, as some of the soldiers shrugged, as they went and were raised by the zip lines of the BuCUEs, into the cockpit, that they entered from the belly of the machine. With that, a small group of Infestus VTOL attack crafts of ZAFT flew overhead, towards that of the sleeping ship. After about five minutes, of the Helicopters passed, the eyes of the BuCUEs lit up, as the machines came to life, and went towards the Archangel herself.

* * *

Archangel Bridge

Pal, began to detect the incoming VTOL fighters, on his scanners. "Mam, bogeys coming in from 6'oclock, there ZAFT Infestus'!" he told her.

"Damn, so they found us." Natarle cursed, as she went to the captains chair. "Go to level one battle stations!" she ordered.

With that, her voice boomed all over the ship. "_All hands to level one battle stations, Captain Ramius to the bridge. I repeat, all Hands to Level One battle stations, Captain Ramius to the bridge!_" she ordered, as she then went to the CIC, to get the Igelstelungs online. Which she did intime, for the ship to ward off a group of missiles from the Infestus air crafts.

"What's going on?" Murrue asked as she came aboard the bridge, followed by the rest of the bridge crew, for this dire time of attack.

"We have detected Enemy Aircraft, however enemy Mobile suits, should not be to far behind." Romero informed her.

"Just wonderful. Activate the Gottfrieds, Valiant, and load all Missile tubes." Murrue ordered, as she got into her chair, as the other members of the bridge got into there own.

"Mam, Mobile Suits detected, Six BuCUE's detected!" he called out.

* * *

And he was right, as the BuCUE's sped across the sand of the desert, using their tread like legs to speed across the sand. Allenby eyed her target, as her side mounted missile launchers got ready to fire. "Now STRIKE!" she called out, as two BuCUE's beside her, both equipped with 13 tube missile launchers took aim at the ship. All three machiens fired, as a total of fourteen missiles took off from the three machines in total.

Each of these missiles took mark, on the starboard side of the ship, as the three BuCUE's spun around to get some ground for the next passby attack. The other three machines, opened fire with there twin railguns at the ship, hitting the side, where the Starboard Valiant was hidden. "Come on out and Play Strike." Allenby mused, as her machine turned around again, but this time, from the turret on her machines back, spat to emerald beams towards the ship, hitting the side of it, heating up the Laminated Armor.

* * *

"Damn!" Murrue called, as she felt the rumble from what missiles did hit, while the Igelstellungs did there best to stop most of the missiles, however, the live ammo was still hitting the ship. "Ensign Neuman, get us out of here!" she called out.

"No can do Captain, our Levitators are clogged with sand, we can't move." he called out.

"This is not good." Murrue calmly said, as she cursed under her breath. "Bridge to La Flaga, is your Skygrasper ready?" she asked.

"_Negative mam_." Mu radioed to her. "_Still working out some bugs, so that the ship wont crash upon take off._" he informed her. "_I will lift off, as soon as I am ready._" he told her.

"All right commander." she told him, as Mir got a surprised look on her face.

"What?" she asked, as Murrue turned to her.

"What is it Crewman Haww?" she asked.

"It's Kira, he is requesting to launch!" Mir reported, with worry in her voice, because if he does go out, he could be in real danger. Kira may be good as a mobile suit pilot, but he has no experience, within a gravity well, or that of facing something in these kind of terms.

"Decline, he may think he is ok." She ordered. "But the doctor wants him to get more rest." she told her, as the ship had another vibration, as the Azure Blue BuCUE's missile hit just missing the Starboard Gottfried.

"_No more lives will be lost!_" Kira's voice could be heard from Mir's headset. "Allow me to launch now, so I can do something about this!" he told them. "Let me go out there and fight!" he continued. As down in his quarters Flay layed, with only her Earth Forces uniform, un buttoned, with nothing beneath it.

* * *

"Yes Kira, Fight, Fight, and Fight, until there is nothing left." Flay said, still traumatized from the death of her father.

* * *

"Fine, let him launch, but I don't like his attitude, but without the Jade Frame even with us, we don't stand much chance against those quadrouped machines." she told them.

* * *

Now down in the Hangar, the Strike was loaded onto the Starboard Catapult. As from the compartements, the weapon configuration of the Launcher pack was being equipped. The weapon pack, that has not been in use for weeks, ever since that battle during there run to Artemis. "Finally." Kira whispered to himself. "This battle would of been over by now, if they let me launch sooner." he told himself, even though, he had no Idea what this battle would truly do.

"_Ok Kira, the Strike has been equipped with the Launcher pack._" she informed him. "Becareful Kira." she said in a low voice, hoping that nothing is clouding this mans judgements. With that, thanks to the magnetic catapult, the Strike Launched into the night, landing in the desert.

* * *

The First BuCUE took notice, was one of the rail gun equipped moible suits. As well as the BuCUE, Andrew caught site of it as well. "Perfect, now lets see the bane of the Creuset team, face off against the BuCUE." Waltfeld muttered to himself. As the BuCUEs, began to change there target from the Legged Ship, to the new opponent.

DaCoasta however, had not the slightest clue what his commander was speaking about. Even though he was the commanders protege, however, he was yet to be in his league. "What do you mean sir?" he asked him.

Andrew just smirked at his subordinate, as out of the commanders of ZAFT, he liked to be asked questions. "The Strike is a space Model machine, sure its Packs, give it special weaponry, but it has yet to face combat, in this kind of terrain." he answered. "And if they truly wanted it to have a decent chance, they would of given it that Aile pack I think it's called, which would give him a slight advantage. But they chose power this time." he told him, as DaCoasta looked at him with a confused look. "Just watch my friend, just watch." he told him.

With that, the Six BuCUE's changed what they were doing, and decided to go after the new target, as Allenby took the front, having either two machines on one side, and three on the other. Kira began to take measures to them, however, as he was on the ground, his footing began to lessen in the sand. The six machines were coming at him, as one went behind Allenby's, which gave it a little boost. As it came out on the other side, it was moving at double the speed that it once was. "What?" Kira wondered, as he was rammed by this machine, making the Strike lose its footing some more, as the shot was fired into the sky. "Ugh!" Kira said, as he became unbalanced, as another of the BuCUEs, began to do the same as the last one did, for a stronger ram, using Allenby's mobile suit, as a shield to the air resistance.

He never truly had this much trouble, since Heliopolis. As all of a sudden, the azure blue BuCUE rammed into him hard, as it then jumped from him landing behind him. Sending the sand to its side. Kira turned and fired, however, the BuCUE dodged the futile attack, and began its charge again. However, it fired its missiles, causing a wave of sand, as the missiles hit the ground, rather than the strike. "What the?" he asked, as the BuCUE came flying out of the wall of sand, with a twin beam sabre ignited from its mouth, which one of them, caught the shoulder of the strike, melting away some of its phase shift armor. "Damn, why am I losing my footing?" Kira wondered to himself, as another BuCUE tried to ram him, however he jumped some distance getting some breathing room.

"Its the sand, if I can constempate the Strike Feat to the sand." Kira said surprised, as he began to type furiously as well as dodging some of the attacks from these quadrouped machines. Upon finishing the upgrade, the Strike stopped slipping in the sand, as another BuCUE tried to ram him again. "Not this time!" Kira said, as he ducked from the attack, and used the back side of the Agni, to ram it into the cockpit, shaking the pilot more than what he wanted. With this, an amethyst seed, bounce within Kira's mind. It then exploded, as Kira's mind was now clear. The next BuCUE, that came in, did not do very well, as it was hit by a nasty punch. However, as the machine landed, Kira planted the Strike's foot onto the underbelly of the machine, as the mouth of the Agni Cannon, aimed at him. "HERE HAVE SOME OF THIS!" Kira yelled, as he pulled the trigger, sending the blast right onto the pilot, annihalting him.

"NO!" Allenby yelled, as she came rushing towards Kira, again. "You will pay for that Strike!" she called, as Kira turned to her, and raised his cannon. The blast came at her, however, unlike others, she was beyond good, as she dodged the attack, and fired a batch of missiles, which hit the ground by the Strike, sending up a wave of sand once again. With that, the BuCUE fired two blasts from its beam gun. The first blast went through, turning some of the falling sand to glass, as the beam went through the glass with the second shot, increasing its power, however, reflecting some of it back. However, Allenby has used this technicque against the Earth Forces, and dodged her own attack effortlessly. However for Kira, it melted away his anti ship missile launcher.

"What?" Kira asked, as the BuCUE came at him, however he jumped out of the way, but with him landing another BuCUE came at him.

* * *

However, the Lesseps had begun to open fire, as missiles came from over Andrew's head, and going right for the Archangel. "Lets see, if the mobile suit can do this, even with it compensating the loose soil of the sand. And destroying one of my best people, lets see it does in this situation." he commented.

From the BuCUE that came at him, Kira caught the machine, and held it in the air.

"_KIRA!"_ Mir's voice sounded. "_Missiles coming towards the ship_!" she called, as Kira threw that BuCUE, in one of the missiles, as a group more, were heading right towards the bridge.

"_This better work_"Kira thought, as he took aim towards the missiles with his cannon. As on the bridge, Murrue, and the rest of the bridge crew, braced for impact, however the large multi colored beam of the Agni Cannon, ripped the missiles apart.

"That was close, bring all systems to full status, I want us out of here!" Murrue ordered, yet still relieved for what Kira just did for them.

* * *

However, for Kira, Allenby was coming at him again, this time, she fired her beam gun, which melted away the barrel of the Agni cannon, making the weapon useless now. "That is enough!" Kira yelled, as he ejected the cannon, and his two anti armor knives popped out, into his hands. However, only one was able to do anything, as he inserted the knife into the right foreleg of the machine, causing it to collapse to the ground, but before Kira could finish it off with his igelstelungs, a Missile hit it in the right arm, causing the phase shift to go down completely. And was not to be any good, as some of the BuCUE's began to guard the fallen comrade, as a jeep came to it. However, another jeep pulled up beside the Strike itself, as a cable hit it, of the communication cable.

"_Pilot of this mobile suit!_" a females voice echoed in the machine. "_If you feel like living do as I say._" She continued, as her voice echoed in the machine. Within moments, a map of the area appeared, as an X was made, which of course to anyone, X marks the spot. Kira had no choice, as if he did not, these machines would take him out. Within moments, the Strike used short bursts of thrust to go towards the destination.

Within moments, three of the six BuCUEs chased after it, once the Strike made it, it took off once again, as within the jeep, the female occupant, raised a button. "Gotcha." she mentioned, as she hit the button, as several explosions began to go off, all around the three machines, destroying them, and there pilots, as Waltfeld watched over thea area.

"Its time for us to go, we got all we need, we will retrieve her machine later." he told them, as they all nodded, as the jeeps went back towards there mothership.

* * *

The next morning, the people that helped out, which seemed to be the local resistance fighters of the area. The Archangel was on the ground with a complete landing. The Strike stood, with what was left of it, as the group of unknown numbers stood below it. The Earth Forces soldiers stood at the hatch getting ready to go meet, with there saviours.

Mu, Natarle, Murdoch, and Murrue were all there. Murdoch, because he was considered as an officer to his men down in the hangar, and was added to the group to go meet the fighters. "Do you think they are friendly?" Natarle wondered.

"We don't know." Murrue answered her. "They didn't have to do what they did last night for us." she told her.

"Are they resistance fighters?" Mu wondered as he looked at Murdoch who shrugged.

"Who knows." he answered. "Beats me of what exactly is going on." he continued.

"Well, we wont know till we go out there." Murrue told them. She then turned to Natarle. "Head to the bridge, you will have control until we return." she told her, as the three others went outside.

"I got to tell you, I don't do good, in these sticky situations." Mu commented to his captain. With that, he earned a smile from her, with the three of them, coming into the hot sun, instantly haveing them, cover there eyes from the sun itself. Sahib, an African native walked up to them, with a face full of beard.

"We are known as Desert Dawn, my name is Sahib Ashman, leader of this group." He introduced himself to the Earth Forces officers. "You need not bother thanking us," he added. "We weren't fighting merely to help you; ZAFT happens to be our enemy, as well, that's all." He paused. "And, of course, I think our mutual acquaintance might have been a little annoyed if we _hadn't_ come to help out." Sahib said looking at the three of them.

"True enough," La Flaga agreed, amused. "So it's you guys against the Desert Tiger, huh? and now even the Red Queen, have you been fighting for awhile?"

Sahib looked at him strangely. "I recognize you, but I cannot say how, or from where."

"My name is Mu La Flaga," the pilot replied, shrugging. "Don't know a living soul in these parts."

The guerrilla leader nodded. "I never expected to meet the Hawk of Endymion in a place such as this," he admitted.

La Flaga and Ramius exchanged surprised looks, but the Captain quickly recovered. "You seem to be very well informed," she said curiously. "Do you also know about us?"

"You are the crew of the Earth Forces new mobile assault ship, yes? You descended to Earth to escape the Le Creuset team. And that machine of yours is..."

"X105 Strike," the girl told them from behind him. She was the same person, Kira helped back on Heliopolis. "That's what they call this thing; it's one of the Earth Forces' new prototype mobile suits, from Heliopolis."

Sahib turned to her, to make sure she does not say more of what they know. "

"So," he said finally. "How good it is that you know who we are, and we know who you are. I must say, though, that I was surprised to see you land in such an unfortunate location; I can only assume you came here by accident." He paused, thinking about the possibilities this provided.

Ramius glanced at Sahib, as she nodded. "Can we count on your complete cooperation?" she asked hopefully.

Sahib smiled knowingly. "If you're serious about talking, you should lower your guns first." He looked up at the now-motionless and power-down Strike. "He should disarm as well." he added in.

"Very well, then," she said aloud. "Ensign Yamato," she called, "come down here."

In the Strike, Kira readily unstrapped. Following his Captains orders, as the cockpit opened, and the pilot lowered via the zip line. When he removed his helmet, the blonde girl gasped seeing the young pilots face, it was that guy, that put her in that lifepod. Without thinking, she broke away from the others and ran up to the Strike's pilot. "So it is you," she said flatly, stopping less than a meter away.

Kira blinked, confused at this girl who was yelling at him.

She was still glaring at him. "Why-? What is someone like _you_ doing here, huh?" Without warning, she threw a punch at him.

Kira easily caught her fist; and he finally realized where he'd seen her before. "That's right; you're that person I met back at Morgenroete!"

Cagalli was not at all mollified by his recognition. "Let go of me, you jerk!" She jerked her hand free, and smacked him in the face.

"Cagalli!" Sahib called; clearly an order.

Without another word, she stalked away, now just as puzzled by her actions as everyone else was.

* * *

Jade Frame's Location

Samuel looked to the sky, to see that it was another clear day without a cloud in sight. "Sam!" Mina called out, as she was looking over the programs within the strike.

"What is it?" Samuel called back to her.

"I just got done with something you might find in handy for your rifle." she called back, jumping down. She was no longer wearing that shirt of hers, but she is rather wearing a sports bra. Samuel finds this a bit uncomfortable, but he acted the way he does, because Mina herself seems to act casual at this time, as the two worked together, to get some of the Jade Frames systems back online. Mina just got done, contemplating the heat altercations for the Rifle's beam trajectory for this enviroment. Being a coordinator herself, and with Military Training, she knew mobile suits more than others. Or rather, just weapon.

"Thanks, that will help a lot, I also got mid range scanners back online." Samuel told her, as she nodded checking over more of the systems within the machine. "It's to bad we lost most of the weapons in Orbit, besides the Rifle, Sword, Launcher, and the beam sabres."

"Well, we should just be glad, that most of it is intact, and that we are as well." she told him as he nodded.

"Yeah, these things could be worst." he told her, as he grabbed a pair of rations, throwing one to her, and eating one himself.

"Not exactly the five course meals I'm used to, but it will do." Mina joked as she ripped into the ration. Samuel chuckled a bit, being careful not to choke on what he was eating himself.

"I wonder, if Yzak, is alright." he wondered.

* * *

Gibraltar Base:

Yzak and Dearka, the two who had there G-Weapons fall to Earth, were having a small conference with their commander, Rau. "I am deeply grateful the two of you arrived on the planet without injury." Rau told the two of them. "However, I would like the two of you to continue your quest, to pursue the legged ship." he told them.

"Oh, so we are not returning to space." Dearka sarcasticly remarked, as not far from him, Yzak began removing the bandages, as on his face was a scar across his face. The very Scar Samorei has left him.

"It doesn't Matter, I wont let Samorei disrespect the name he was given at birth." Yzak told them.

* * *

Lesseps

Allenby walked the corridors of the ship as she felt humiliated, for the battle the night before. The Strike took her out, with one stab into her machines leg. She went to the hangar, to see that her machine was fully repaired.

* * *

Desert Dawn Base

The girl from Heliopolis, who is truly a girl named Cagalli Yula walked the area, as she found Kira, looking upon the Archangel, which was covered with Debris of the area, to hide it from air scouts.

Then he saw something coming that _did_get his attention: Cagalli was coming up the slope toward him, an odd expression on her face; to Kira's surprise, Kevin was, for once, nowhere to be seen. "Huh?"

She stopped about a meter away, and looked at the ground. "I apologize for earlier, 'kay?" she said without preamble. "I didn't actually mean to hit you." Then, realizing how ridiculous that sounded, and remembering that this was a friend of Kevin's she amended, "Well... I suppose I did. But it was spur of the moment; forgive me."

Kira was a little surprised, but then decided it was amusing, and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" Cagalli demanded, irritated.

He sat on the ground, smiling a little. _Maybe she's not so bad, after all._ "Well, now think about it."

She got his point, and finally relaxed herself. "You've been on my mind since," then admitted, remembering Heliopolis. "Worried, I guess; asking myself what might have happened to you." The blond-haired girl looked up at the Strike. "But then you turn up out of nowhere, flying one of _those_ things. And worse yet, you're now with the Earth Forces?"

Kira was silent for a long moment. _You've got a point,_ he thought. _I don't really know what I'm doing here, either._"A lot of things have happened along the way," he said finally. "A great many things." He looked up, a question on his mind. "So, what's someone like_ you_ doing in a place like this? I mean, I assumed you were from Orb..."

"Its because, the war, is hurting the people here, and I wish to help." she answered him.

"I see." he told her. _Is it just me, or is she talking like Samuel does?_" he wondered.

Cagalli, then stood up and walked away. "I'll talk to you later." she told him, as she went to help with someone, Kira saw that the guy she ran to had dark skin, and seemed to be just a year older than himself.

A while later, Cagalli, walked around, as she pondered that kid, and that she forgot to ask his name again. "Dang, I should find him and ask his name. but how much should I tell him?" she asked herself.

"Nothing Cagalli." A tall, and muscle toned man walked up, as Cagalli turned to him.

"Kisaka, you know I don't like when you do that." she told him.

"No matter, lady Cagalli, its just that you should not tell them, to much. You know you are trying to keep who you are secret from them all." he told her.

"Yeah your right, but still, I need to find out his name." she told the large man, as she turned, to go find Kira once again. She waited until night fall, to try to find the pilot of the Strike. However, along the way to the Archangel, a voice was heard, of one of the Earth Forces arrivals.

"Wait a minute Flay!" Sai's voice called out, as not far from Cagalli,

"Will you leave me alone?" Flay replied to him with anger within her voice. "Just stay away from me!" she continued. Flay stormed off, as she came to Cagalli. Flay never even bothered with the girl, and continued towards the Archangel's hatch. Flay came closer to the hatch, as Kira came out which surprised her. "Kira!" she called, going towards him. All he did was blinked surprised, as Flay grabbed his right arm, and hid behind him, so it seemed.

"What?" he asked Sai and Flay who had just stopped infront of him.

Sai just looked at his friend, with his eyes narrowed. "I need to talk to Flay," he told him, almost as he was possessed somehow. "It's not your buisness Kira." he told him.

"It concerns Kira to!" Flay shot back to Sai, as she gripped Kira's shoulder. "Don't you understand, Kira and I are together!" she told him. After staring at each other for a little while.

Sai, decided to break the Ice, Flay has made. "Well, Kira." he began. "Explain this to me, Flay, you. . . you're. . ." he tried.

"Why Should we explain it to you!" Flay replied to him. "It has nothing to do with you Sai. I have nothing to do with you!" she told him.

"Just forget it, Sai," Kira told him, looking away from his computer college friend.

Sai changed the look upon his face, from anger to horror a bit. "What's that?" he asked.

Kira put his head up, looking right at his friend. "Anyone can see, you're chasing after someone who has no desire to be with you!" he called out.

"Just who do you think you are?" Sai asked the coordinator, as Kira just turned to Flay.

"I'm tired after that last battle." he turned to Flay, and began go into the ship. "Just do me a Favor Sai. . ., Just stop all this." he told them. Sai, didn't bother to forget, he climbed the steps, with both fists clenched, and then rushed Kira.

"Kira." Sai comly said, as he put one hand on Kira's shoulder, Kira acted quickly, as he turned Sai around, grabbing the arm, and pinning it to his back. Sai cringed in pain, as Sai went to his knees.

"If I took this Seriously, you wouldn't stand a chance in a fight with me!" Kira shouted, which caused Flay to, look at the man, with surprise in her eyes. He then, let go of Sai, who fell to the ground, as Flay continued to look at him.

"Kira" Sai said, face wet from tears, of him losing someone he carred for deeply.

"Flay has been... kind and considerate to me," Kira said, facing away and looking at the deck. "She stayed with me the whole time. I felt a lot of pain, letting the Eighth Fleet be destroyed infront of me. And with out Samuel, Those Civilians would be dead, he saved them not me. If it was me they be dead right now!" he shouted. Cagalli, took note of this name, as she has yet to meet anyone named Samuel onboard this ship. "She held me in her arms, and she said she'd look after me!" He turned suddenly, eyes bright and fierce. "No one even stops to think about what I must be feeling!" he shouted. "What goes through my mind during a battle!"

"Kira." Sai said, not realizing that he did not truly think of things like that for Kira.

Flay turned to the distraughted Kira, and put her arm around him. "Hey Kira. . ." she began, but was interupted, by the sounds of Alarms Buzzing.

Cagalli, heard someone calling. "Fire's in the sky, Tassil is on Fire!" people were shouting, as no doubt, smoke was rising from the direction, of the area the Desert Dawns home town was on fire.

Miles away, the at the Jade Frame, Samuel looked to the sky, as he saw the smoke rise from the town, as he looked at it. "Is it just me, or is that smoke a bit much, for a bombfire?" Mina asked Samuel as he shook his head.

"No it is not." he said heading towards the Jade Frame. "Come on, some people might need our help!" he called, to her, as the two of them, went for the cockpit of the Jade Frame.

* * *

A/N: The battle finished, with Allenby only being disabled rather than destroyed, all thanks to Kira, using his weapon to much as what he did. Kira and Flay's relationship is now in the open, and Samuel and Mina are heading to see if they can help in town. Will they make it intime, or will it be to late.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Please Review, to tell me what you think, especially all those people, that I haven't heard from yet. Your opinions, and thoughts on this story as of yet, are very nice for me to read, and ponder.


	14. Chapter 14: GHOST

Chapter 14: GHOST

* * *

The camp had become an uproar, as the alarms blared around them. It was a buzz, as the town of Tassil, burned in the distance, as they saw, orange light, having smoke lift from the area. At the Radio station, a tanned man, slammed his fist on the machine he was using. "Damn! I can't get through!" he yelled. 

"Those bastards." Another one said out loud, as he looked over at the fire.

The three that, just had a small argument, were startled by this, as they just seen Cagalli, run by them, worried about the town. "I need, half of you to stay here." Sahib hollered, as he continued to give orders to the fighters.

Murrue, and Mu, just arrived, as they saw, the camp abuzz, like the attackers of Tassil, just stirred a hornets nest. It is to bad, these hornets, stingers can not do anything against the tigers BuCUE team. "This is not good." she said, as she turned to the more experienced fighter. "What should we do?"

"From what I heard about him, the tiger would not do needless violence." The man replied, as he wondered. "Samuel or rather Samorei was a ZAFT soldier once before, he might've been able to shed some light on this for us." he commented. "You have any idea's?" he asked her.

"No, well, actually, the Archangel can't go anywhere. That Blue BuCUE from last night, seemed to be a commander of some source, so there could be a second force, waiting for it to appear." she conclueded, as Mu nodded in agreement. "No matter, we should still send someone." she continued, as she turned to the man. "You up for it commander?" she asked him.

"You mean me?" he asked as she nodded. "Well guess I'm honored for the request."

"Thats nice, and it makes sense, the Skygrasper be able to make it there faster." she added in.

"Yeah." he said taking off to the archangel.

"I will also send Hibson, and some supplies with the jeeps!" Murrue called to him, as he just waved back.

* * *

Back in camp, several jeeps with resistance fighters drove by, as Cagalli came running out, with a anti tank rocket launcher. And a pair of goggles on, to stop the sand from getting into her eyes, as the vehicles drove. One particular jeep pulled up, as Ahmed was the driver. "Need a ride?" he asked her. 

"Thanks Ahmed." Cagalli told him, hopping into the passenger side, as her body guard Kisaka jumped into the back, carrying his own launcher, and rockets in the other arm.

* * *

Tassil 

BuCUE's walked the streets of Tassil, as the machine's sent out a message. "All inhabitants, please leave the town, and stay away from the caves." With that, the BuCUE's fired Missiles into caves, where Desert Dawn kept various weapons. A blue BuCUE stood above the jeep that contained Andrew Waltfeld, as it was fully repaired once again, and its pilot sighed.

"This is so boring, attacking such a crazy town." Allenby sighed, shaking her head.

"This will teach them, for destroying my troups yesertday." Andy smirked sipping his coffee. "Destroying there weapons, are the greatest thing we do, and they will eventually hunt me down, because of this." he commented.

* * *

Miles away, the Jade Frame, stood on its two feet, and thanks to Samuel's modification a day or so ago, it did not slip in the sand. In the cockpit, Mina and Samuel sat in there respective stations, as it stood. "Isei, Binsoku, Subeta packs, all at 10 power, Jade Frame, at 30 power, equalling to 60 power remaining." Samuel stated, as the Jade Frame took jumps using the Binsoku pack. 

"How long, till we get to that town?" Mina asked.

"Well, we have about thirty minutes till daybreak, so about two hours afterward." Samuel told her. "With the Phase Shift down, and only the thrusters active. We will have plenty of energy, to deal with what we come up against." he told her, however, he did not truly know, what he was up against.

* * *

At Tassil, Sahib, and various other jeeps arrive, as Mu landed his Skygrasper, after patrolling the sky's of the wrecked town. "Hurry up, Treat the wounded!" he ordered, as an old man came to them. 

"There is no need." he told them, shaking his head, catching Sahib by surprise. "There are no wounded here."

A small kid, who seemed to see Sahib as his father, who he really was. The child was Yaru, his son, who ran to his father. "Grandpa tripped when the warning was called." he said, as Sahib looked among the people.

"I'm amazed no one was hurt." Sahib, said, as he looked among everyone, even that of Mu, as several buggeys from the Archangel arrived, with what supplies that could be spared, with lieutenant Badgiruel and the doctor of the Archangel.

"The attacking forces gave a warning before the attack." The old man continued, as Mu came over with a casual smile on his face.

"At least the tiger was nice enough to give a warning." he commented, as all of a sudden Cagalli came over to him, with a piece of her mind.

"How can you say that!" she yelled at him, anger boiling within her from the heat of the sun. "That man is a coward for attacking a town like this!" she continued.

"Waltfeld might not even want to fight you." he told her, calmer than she was. "He probably did this, for what you guys did two days ago to him." he told her, which just got her mad even more.

"Hey, they left not long ago right?" one resistance fighter asked another.

"Yeah, if we left now, we can get him." another answered.

"NO!" Sahib ordered. "You should attend to your families first!" he continued to tell them, as they did not even bother.

"Come on!" one of them called. "We have a chance to avenge for what they did to us!"

"Come on Sahib, you know that you want to!" another called.

"Come ON!" a bunch of them, called as they jumped onto the jeeps, and sped away. Sahib felt defeated, as he rubbed his kid's head, and knelt down to him.

"Take care of Grandpa, and mom for me would yeah?" he asked the kid.

"Why?" he asked. "You sound like your not coming back."

"Oh don't worry, I will be back." he told the kid, as he went and got on a truck, as Cagalli tried to get on with him.

"I'm coming to." Cagalli told him, as Sahib looked at the angel of victory, her nickname upon the group of his fighters.

"No you are not." he told her, as the jeep sped off, with only him in it. But before anything, Ahmed drove up to her, with Kisaka on the back.

"Come on!" he called, as she got on with him, and her body guard.

La Flaga and Badgiruel watched the Desert Dawn guerrillas go. "What can I say," the pilot said. "This is a land where both the wind and people get very heated."

"They're going to be wiped out!" Badgiruel protested. "With their mediocre equipment, they don't stand a chance against the BuCUEs."

"You're so right." La Flaga looked at her, an amused smile on his face. "What'll we do?"

She blinked. "Don't ask me, I haven't a clue."

A moment later, Mu, began to tell Murrue of the situation. "What did you say?" Ramius said when La Flaga reported at daybreak. "They went after the enemy? But don't they know how crazy that is? Why didn't you try to stop them, Commander?"

Mu, turned down the volume on the radio, because he did not like it when the Captain raised her voice in such a manner, especially, that they are not her people to order. "Like I could," he said. "They were so determined that if we'd tried, they'd attack _us_." La Flaga looked around to see, the . "More importantly, there are many injured here who need treatment. _And_ there's the problem of food, and especially water. What'll we do?"

"Alright I'll send Ensign Yamato to check up on them," she said finally. "We can't just sit by while they get wiped out. I'll also send our remaining vehicles with water and medical supplies."

"Roger that." La Flaga's image phased out.

Natarle walked to a child who was crying, as she opened a ration. "Here, eat this, it's good." she told him, as the child took one bite, and began to scarf it down, as Natarle gave him her hat. With that, sounds were heard around her, as she looked to see, that children had surrounded her. "Whoa, I don't have this many, Commander!" she called out.

"Don't look at me, you handle this yourself." He joked at her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kira was getting the Aile Strike Gundam ready for combat. "This is Kira here, Strike Gundam heading out!" he called, as his machine launched from its location. Heading after the Desert Dawn.

* * *

Andrew smirked, as his jeep drove, as DaCoasta just asked him, that shouldn't they pick up the pace in terms of speed. "There is nothing to worry about." He told his comrad. "There weapons are like Misquito bites to the BuCUE's." he told him. 

Just then, the Desert Dawns Jeeps came over the horizon, as the first to leave, were the first to the action. "Listen guys, were hunting the tiger today!" he called, as the jeeps began to open fire. DaCoasta moved him, as the Blue BuCUE took the hit, of another barrage.

"Take them." Andy told them, as the new team of six, began to attack the jeeps.

Near the Horizon, the Jade Frame landed as it scoped out the battle. "What's going on here?" Samuel wondered, as he focused his monitor on the BuCUE's trashing a jeep. "Resistance fighters against ZAFT's quadrouped machines." Samuel mused, as Mina watched the jeeps being slaughtered by the machines.

"Well, shouldn't you do something?" she asked.

"Not unless you tell me, this is not an Orb battle." he answered her, as he then caught site, of a blonde in one of his monitors. Along with a huge man behind her, which he recognized in a second.

"What, I thought you were the one who thought innocent slaughter was wrong?" Mina asked him, as Samuel somewhat ignored her. "Well, answer me! I order you to!" she began to yell, as Samuel stuck a hand up to her.

"Hold on a second, and take a look at this." Samuel told her, as she looked at his monitor. She saw that a live feed, of Kisaka, Cagalli, and Ahmed.

"What, Athha's girl? What the hell is she doing out here?" Mina asked Samuel who just shrugged, as he checked the power, 35 energy left, and if the Jade Frame's armor activated the power will deplete faster, not to mention even more if he opens fire. Within seconds, the Raiden Multiphase Cannon went into position, as Samuel had the Jade Frame kneel down, to act as a Sniper. "What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Protecting Orb." he answered, as she saw what he meant, as the driver of the insane vehicle drove right underneath a moving BuCUE. From the jeep, two rockets hit the underbelly of the machine, angering the pilot.

As in the battle, the jeep tried to pull ahead, as the pilot was angry at these people for shaking him up. "Take this you -" he could not finish his sentence, as from ahead of the jeep, a red beam of energy, surrounded by blue energy engulfed the front, and the rest of the BuCUE, turning the machine into scrap metal, and dust in the wind.

"What the heck was that?" Ahmed asked, as Cagalli quickly grabbed a pair of binoculars from under the seat. She peered through them to see the Jade Frame, stand up right, with its Raiden cannon, red hot and its eyes glowing yellow.

"Hey Kisaka?" she began, having her body guard peer towards her. "Take a look." she said handing him the binoculars. He peered through them, with somewhat a look of concern on his face. "Isn't that an Astray Prototype?" she asked him.

"Astray Prototype?" Ahmed asked, as Kisaka continued to view, as the mobile suit, changed from its dull gray form, to white, and Jade in various areas, to distinguish it, from its three counterparts.

"Yes Cagalli, I believe you are right about that. It is definitly not of the Earth Forces, however using there tech." he told her, as he was nearly knocked over, as a BuCUE, raced by them, and would of crushed them, if it were not for Ahmed. The BuCUE that did, was going right towards the Jade Frame, was Azure Blue.

Inside, Allenby was pissed, at this new attacker. "Damn YOU, I'LL KILL YOU!" she yelled, as the BuCUE came chargeing.

Waltfeld watched the battle from below, as he smirked. "So there are more than just the blue one." he chuckled to his protege.

"Commander?" DaCoasta asked.

"Oh yes, you were still on the Lesseps during that fight, with the Eurasian Tank Core." he said with a smile. "Well that machine is another variation to the mobile sit, that damaged the LaGOWE, a few days ago." he continued. "Lets see, if this pilot, is just as good, as that one was."

"Mina, hold on!" Samuel called, as he hit the thrusters, having the Jade Frame jump out of the way of the chargeing machine. "Damn, that blast with the Raiden took to much of our energy, and so is the phase Shift!" Samuel yelled, as the machine jumped again from the attack.

"Your MINE!" a pilot called, as thirteen missiles were fired at the Jade Frame. Six of them hit there mark, while the rest were taken out by the igelstellungs.

"Damn!" Samuel called out, as the phase shift armor began to deactivate on the Jade Frame.

"This is the end for you!" a soldier called, however, before he could open fire with his BuCUE was lucky not to get hit by a emerald beam from the sky. "What the?" he asked, as to the sky, the humanoid mobile suit known as the Strike came flying in.

"I missed?" Kira questioned, as his crosshairs were right on target. "Right, the heat convention." Kira told himself, as the Strike Landed, and ran across the sand, by the Jade Frame. As he worked on the OS, including the heat for his beam rifle.

"Kira." Samuel sighed, as the Strike moved by, as Mina smiled.

"Kira is going to get a metal for this." She concluded, watching the Strike do its stuff. The Strikes next shot, was at the Missile launcher machine that deactivated the Jade Frames Phase Shift. Disconnecting the missile launcher right from the machine itself.

"So, the Earth Forces Machine came to the rescue." DaCoasta pointed out, as the missile launcer exploded.

"And with different hardware from last time." Andy smirked again. He also observed, Kira's moves. "And look at that targeting, he already altered it to fit the heat convention, into his targeting system." he continued, as he turned to his protege. "Get me Kirkwood." he ordered.

Inside a non mobile BuCUE, that was taken out earlier, by a Rocket to its joint, began to come back to life. Kirkwood, began to get back into the battle. "Yeah, I'm back in the game." he mentioned.

"_Kirkwood!"_ Waltfelds voice echoed through the cockpit.

"Commander?" he asked.

"_Let me get in that machine of yours."_ he ordered.

"Yes sir." Kirkwood told him.

Kira, dodged the Azure Blue Machines attack, as another BuCUE came at him. Kira jumped backwards aiming his rifle right at the side of the machine, as the rifle spat an emerald beam, right into the cockpit of the BuCUE. All that was heard on his allies, radio, was a scream, and then static.

"Damn you!" Allenby yelled, as she began her tactic from before, as she fired a pair of heavy missiles towards the Strike which detonated in the sand. Kira knew what was coming next, as a pair of beams emerged from the wall of sand.

"Not this time." Kira commented, as he fired through the glass shards, that the last beam created, amplifing his own beam. Allenby barely got out of the way, however, taking a hit to her left side missile salvo. Then he was hit by a group of missiles. "What, that machine is back up again?" Kira asked himself, as he hit the thrusters, to get him out of the way of another missile barrage.

"Ally!" Waltfeld called, now in the cockpit of the BuCUE. "Get into formation!" he yelled, as Allenby slipped around, as she opened fire once again with her beam cannon turret. "Fine, no matter, even with this things phase shift." he continued, as the other BuCUE, and himself opened fire with missiles.

"Even if you only use regular missiles, the phase shift loses its effect after seventy-six hits," the ZAFT commander said, launching more warheads at his enemy. "When that happens, the rifle simultaneously runs out of power." Kira engaged his thrusters at the last moment, slowing his descent and blasting away in another direction, attempting to evade the ZAFT suits. "Now, you weird and wonderful pilot," Waltfeld said through a grin, firing more missiles, "how are you gonna get out of this jam?" he yelled.

Then for Kira, an Amethyst seed, fell in his mind, and shattered into a supernova, as now his mind was clear. He twisted the Strike around, to face the incoming machines again, as Allenby got into formation, and led the charge. "YOUR MINE!" she yelled, as her beam sabres ingnited. However, Kira flew right at her, releaseing his shield at the same time. "WHAT!" she yelled, as the shield smashed right into her machine.

Kira spun around to fire at the blue machine, however, it jumped out of the way intime. "Attack it seperately, try to make it off balance!" That was when, the other machine jumped at Kira, but the Strike drew a beam sabre, and sliced one of the wings right off, sending the metal into the sand.

"How, what? what is up with Kira?" Mina wondered, as she never saw such expertise in a mobile suit.

"Mina, I am wondering the same thing." Samuel commented, as he felt useless, for just sitting here. But thanks to Kira, the BuCUEs, were to busy to finish the Jade Frame off. Kira dodged an attack from Allenby, having the Strike go infront of Waltfeld, and the wingless BuCUE. Waltfeld opened fire, as Kira went right towards it. At the last moment, he took a bit out of Allenby's book. He kicked up a wave of sand. Waltfelds machine went right, as the other jumped into the air. But unlike he expected, the Strikes Rifle shot right from below it, and right through its cockpit.

"Damn." Waltfeld said, as he knew his team was beat. "Ally, DaCosta, we're retreating."

"Yes Sir" both of them said, however Allenby was a bit more annoyed, but the two BuCUE's and the jeep left. Allowing the Strike to land beside the Jade Frame. Ahmed, Cagalli, and Kisaka all arrived at the feet of the machines, as Mina, and Samuel lowered down.

"YOU, what the hell are you doing here?" Cagalli demanded to lady Sahaku.

"I could ask you the same thing C," Mina said, crossing her arms, as Cagalli, just seemed with her anger flared. Just as Kira came down.

"What the hell are you people thinking!" Kira called out raising his voice. "There is absolutely no reason for you to be out here. . ." Kira called out.

With that, Cagalli forgot about Mina, and went over to who she thought was a smart mouthed idiot. "What the hell are you talking about!" she yelled at him. "You heartless Moron!" she told him. They all fought desperately! We're all fighting desperately! All so that we can protect the things and people that are so important to us!"

Kira, had enough of her at this moment, and slapped her in the face, causing both Samuel, and Mina a look of surprise from the act, and causing Cagalli to go into absolute silence. "What can you hope to protect, when your feelings are the only weapons you got!" Kira asked her.

"Hey Kira, take it easy on her." Mina said, coming up to him. "She doesn't know the true thing of warefare." Mina told him, as Kira was not in a good mood, probably from the heat. Or just that, Mina, was pretty much half naked, and Samuel, as well. "But I have one question for you." she said, earning a look from Kira. "How the hell can you stand the heat, it's like well, very hot out?" she asked him.

"Lady Sahaku." Kisaka said, coming up to her, as Samuel took note, of a comrade he has around Orb.

"Kisaka?" Mina questioned as he nodded. "So miss little princess dragged you all the way out here?"

Cagalli, now getting over the shock of what Kira said to her, in a low tone spoke to Mina. "Shut up Mina, I want to keep my identity a secret." she muffled, as Mina just looked at her with confusion.

* * *

A few days later, Samuel, and Mina, have been welcomed back, by various members of the Archangel, as in the ship, the Jade Frame was being recharged, while Mina and Samuel were given suitable clothing for the climate. Both Orb members, walked into the tent, where Cagalli, stood, with Kisaka sitting, infront of a make shift desk. "It seems I hit a nerve a few days ago." Mina commented, looking at Cagalli. "Now tell me Athha, why the heck are you way out here?" she asked, her fellow noble. 

"As I said, none of your business Mina." Cagalli, told her in a sour mood. "And you Samuel, what the heck are you doing here, and a pilot of an Astray Prototype?" she asked.

"Long story short, I needed it to help protect." Samuel answered her, as he went and leaned against another of the walls. "Heliopolis, was a tragedy, that I failed to stop from happening again." he commented, looking at the grains of sand below.

"Junius Seven, was the other right?" Kisaka asked, as the Jade Frame pilot nodded the answer. "I see." he commented.

"That was not suppose to happen, it's all because of my father." Cagalli, said in a sour tone, clenching a fist.

Mina, just looked at her rival for the ruling of Orb, but did not know, that she blamed her father, for such a thing. '_To bad for her, that it was the Sahaku's that aligned with the Earth Forces, and helped make those machines, so we could use it ourselves." Mina told herself, as she earned a look of curiosity from Samuel._

"What are you thinking Mina?" Samuel asked her.

"Oh, nothing, besides of what I was told, that aggitated, the Desert Dawn into that battle a few days ago. Is that they need new weaponry." she confirmed.

"Indeed, Sahib, is setting up, a drive to Banadiya to meet with a weapons dealer." Kisaka told the two new arrivals, to the group.

"He took Kira's words, as I did, that our Feelings are useless against ZAFT, so we are heading to banadiya." Cagalli told them, as Kisaka nodded.

"I am wondering, if either of you would like to go with?" Kisaka asked, earning a scornful look from Cagalli. The Rivalry between the Athha's and the Sahaku's are high, but Samuel nodded.

"I'll go, Mina, you coming as well?" Sam asked her.

"No, you can go on your own Samuel, however, I give you a list, of things to get me." she told him, looking at him, with one of her crimson eyes. Cagalli, rolled her eyes, at what she thought, that would be what Mina would say.

"Kira is coming along as well." Cagalli commented, as Kisaka nodded. "Yes, and Samuel, if miss Sahaku will allow it, we would like, both you and Kira to be lady Cagalli's body guards." he told them.

"What?" Samuel asked, as he wondered. "What about Ahmed, shouldn't he be doing this?" Samuel asked.

"No, he has no training for such a thing, and a Natural." Kisaka commented. "You, and Kira on the other hand, are both pilots now, of the Earth Forces, Kira would have done some training I think." he told them, as Samuel shook his head. "What is it?" the taller man, asked.

"Nothing, continue on." Samuel said, waving his hands. Because, if need be, he knew he be beaten to the ocean, by Kisaka.

"Does it really matter?" Cagalli said beginning to leave. "Mina, if you can let your lapdog be away from you for a few hours. Get him, to meet Ahmed, Kira, and myself, by the camps entrance, at thirteen hundred hours." she said, as they all well know, Orb's familys, have had at least, some military training.

Mina just rolled her eyes at the comment, as she then left, to go to the Archangel, to make a list.

* * *

A few hours later, Samuel walked to the entrance of the camp. Among the people waiting, were Sahib, Murrue, Mu, Natarle, Cagalli, Kira, and Ahmed. "It's about time you showed up." Cagalli said, with Samuel, who just rolled his eyes at her. Many people, were wondering why she was so sour, to him, but the two themselves knew why. "Come on." she told, the white t-shirt wearing older teenager. He climbed onto the back, as Murrue looked over to him. 

Natarle turned to the four teens, who were in the jeep. Both Kira and Samuel in the back, as Ahmed was in the drivers seat, and Cagalli, in shotgun. "Each of you becareful out there. Banadiya is a enemy controlled city!" she called out.

Samuel, looked over to his commanding officer, when he worked on the Archangel. "You to Natarle, don't go shooting a gun off, just because you found a coordinator, looking at you funny." he called out. With that, Ahmed, drove off, right behind Sahibs jeep, as Arnold Neuman, drove the Archangel officers.

* * *

Within an hour, Ahmed dropped, Cagalli, Kira, and Samuel off, at the market. Each of them, in more casual wear, than there d.d. uniforms. Cagalli, now in a red shirt, as Kira was wearing a blue shirt, with a white overshirt. While, the other jeeps, all drove by, leaving the three behind. Kira, looked around the city, as Samuel began to walk, around the market place. "Are you sure, this is the Desert Tigers headquarters?" Kira asked, as Samuel looked over, with a piece of paper in his hand. "It's so peaceful." he concluded. 

Cagalli, just looked at him, as she went towards him. "Come with me." she told him, as Samuel just shrugged, and went to get what Mina wanted, if he could find them. Kira and Cagalli wandered, as Kira saw three TMF/S-3 GINN OCHER Type desert use mobile suit. Standing guard around the huge mansion. "See?" she said. "It looks peaceful, but any resistance is dealt with harshly; one group tried to fight them, out in the Talbadiya factory district. Now it's burned-out ruins." She nodded at the building. "That's where the true power here is. It may look peaceful, but there is no doubt the Desert Tiger is in charge."

* * *

Within the town, nearly a half an hour later, the blue haired BuCUE pilot, Allenby walked the streets, of the city. Within her mind, she played the failures she had, against the Strike Gundam over and over again. First, was its combat knives stabbed deep, into the leg of her machine, the shield in the face. "How, can they have gotten so good, in so little time with a mobile suit?" she asked herself. As in truth, it was only less, than twenty days, since Heliopolis fell, to the Creuset team. 

"Kira, what is up with this Flay girl. The things she is asking for are outrageous." Cagalli called out, as Kira held a lot of gowns, or silks, and various other things, as Cagalli, was going over the list, Flay Allister gave Kira.

"Why are you asking me?" he asked, as he backed up, and both he, and Allenby who just begun to walk by, which the two of them knocked each other to the ground.

"Kira, are you alright?" Cagalli asked, the pilot.

"Yeah I'm fine, how about you miss?" Kira asked, as he looked into eyes, that were almost colorless. While Allenby looked into the amethyst eyes of Kira.

"Umm, here let me help you with this, I am so sorry." She said, as she helped Kira gather up the things he had dropped. Even though, she never knew, that the person she is talking to, is the one that pilots the GAT-X105 Strike.

"Here, let me help you up." Cagalli, said to Allenby, as the two girls nodded to each other, however not knowing, who, they are, and who they fight for.

"Thanks." Allenby said, dusting what sand she had on her off. "I'm sorry, uh, what is your name?" she asked Kira.

"Kira, Kira Yamato." Kira said, placing his items on a near by stand, then shaking her hand.

"I'm Cagalli Yula." Cagalli, told the blue haired girl.

"Allenby Hahnenfuss", Allenby told them with a smile. "Come on, I would like to show my apology, in buying you two diner. I know a great place for a good meal." she told them.

* * *

Upon, moments later, they were at an out door diner. 

Kira, and Cagalli sat at one of the tables, talking. "So, how much do we have left, for this Flay girl, to get?" Cagalli asked him.

"Um, lets see. . ." he began, as Allenby came with three plates, each was the special of the house.

"Diners on!" she told them, tossing there plates onto the table, as she grabbed, an orange colored sauce dispenser.

"What are you putting on that?" Cagalli asked.

"Tabasco Hot sauce" she answered. "I like things spicy." she told the two, of them.

"You haven't changed much then." A fourth voice broke the silence from Kira, as he looked above Allenby, to see Samuel standing behind her.

"That, voice it can't be." Allenby said, as she turned, to see someone that she never think she see again. As her face changed from suspission to horror. As right behind her, was a man she broke up with, and she thought dead, a week, after doing so. "Samorei?" she asked, as he just nodded to her.

* * *

A/N: Allenby has met the pilots of both the Strike, and the Jade Frame. However, she see's Samuel as a ghost, as she should, because he was said to have died during the bloody valentine. 

Now, how will Cagalli react to this new secret that the Sahaku's have been keeping. Keeping a son, of ZAFTs supreme council, as a body guard.

I hope you all like the lineage I gave Allenby, being related to Shiho and all that.

Please Review, so I can get some feedback, on this.


	15. Chapter 15: The Tiger

Disclaimer: The only character I own, is Samuel Lewis, or rather Samorei Joule. Everything else belongs to Sunrise. Also the idea of putting Allenby in this story, was The Deathbringer's idea. Not mine, if you don't like it, you can blame him. Lol, kidding

* * *

Chapter 15: The Tiger

Silence went on for minutes, as Allenby looked at Samuel, scarred, as Cagalli, looked at her with a confused look. "But. . . but. . ." she repeated multiple times, seeing him, alive and well. Along with a dark tan, and a sunburn where his neck, and the rest of his body connected.

Samuel just smirked at her, even though its been over a year, since he seen this person last. "What is it Ally, it looks like you seen a ghost." Sam mocked to her, looking at her, with one blue eye. "What?" he said, as she continued to look at him. "Cat got your tongue?" he asked.

Allenby was still speechless, as Cagalli, looked at both of them, as both she and Kira, bared confused faces. "Uhh, you two know each other?" she asked, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, she broke up with me last year, February sixth, Cosmic Era 70." Samuel notioned to them. "My question is, why is a woman of the military doing out here?" Samuel asked the blue haired girl.

"Well well, what do we have here." an older males voice interupted them, as he was walking over, as Samuel looked up. He did not recongize the man. But this reason, is that he was not of the Earth Side military, or anyone for that matter, besides for Orb, in the past year. "I cannot help, but I just noticed what you happened to order." he said, motioning towards what Kira had infront of him. "You know, Yogurt Sause, would go great with that." the man in the yellow and red shirt, told him.

"Commander? what are you doing here?" Allenby asked, as Samuel looked at her.

'_Commander, no she can't mean, who I think she means?' _He asked himself, as Cagalli, thought the exact same thing. The only military in the area, would be The Desert Tigers men.

"Ahh, Allenby, I'm telling your friend here, that Yogurt sause goes great with his Kabab." The man told them, as Cagalli shook her head.

"No no, Salsa goes best." Cagalli, told them, as the two of them began to argue over Kira's food. While Allenby got into it now.

"No, Tobasco Sauce is best!" Allenby told them, as the three continued to argue, as Samuel knew where this was going to end up, and grabbed a plate, with a few left overs from a table near by, and placed it between the plate, and Kira himself. That was when all three containers squirted out there contants, all over the meal Kira was going to have. With red, a yellowish color, and a orange sauce all over the food.

"And now, its all ruined." Andrew joked with them, as Allenby smirked about it. Samuel just rolled his eyes, at the thought.

"Now you did it!" Cagalli scorned the man, as Samuel heard something, not far from them, something that sounded like a click.

"Kira, Allenby, sir, it be a good idea, to find some cover right now." Samuel told them, as he reached for a closed umbrella.

"For the preservation of our pure and blue world!" someone yelled from the rooftop, as shots began to fire. Upon instinct, Andy, kicked the table over, as Allenby set up some extra momentum, buy flipping it with her hands. As Kira, knocked Cagalli to the ground, however, she was hit, not by a bullet, but by the food he had infront of him, moments ago, along with each of there sauces. For Samuel upon grabbing the umbrella, he threw it at the initial soldier that yelled out that phrase.

"What purity to you have, when blood of innocent people are stained upon your hands?" Samuel asked himself, as the sharp point of the umbrella pierced the initial attackers chest, as more came, while Samuel kocked over a second table, moving it towards the other one. "Well, thats all the weapons I could muster, without the use of my gun." Samuel commented, as Allenby rolled her eyes. She drew a pistol, that was on her hip, while the yellow over shirt wearing Andy, already was firing at soldiers with great accuracy, however, missing shots, when their attackers, ducked behind a corner.

"Do you really think this is the time for jokes Samorei?" Allenby asked.

"Samorei, eh, Ezalia's kid?" Andy asked as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, I see you know my mother." Samuel asked, as he got proned, and took aim at some Blue Cosmos terroists, and opened fire with his gun.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." he commented, as Allenby, fired and took a man out from the rooftop, from across the street.

"Does this really matter right now commander?" she asked, causing a look from Cagalli.

'_Why is she refering to this man as commander?_ _Unless!_" she came to realization, as machine gun fire filled the air, as the Cosmos members went on the attack.

"Bastards." Samuel commented, as he took another clip from the belt on his waist, and ejected the empty, then putting the new one in its place. "What the hell are these tables made of anyway?" Sam asked no one in particular, as he peered over, only to be met, with machine gun fire, ducking just in time. "Come on you bastards, go away." Samuel commented, as then all of a sudden, more machine gun fire could be heard. Within moments it all ended, with silence, and the desert wind, blowing through the town.

"Commander Waltfeld" the red headed Martin DaCoasta called out, as he ran over, with an automatic rifle in hand.

"Ahh, DaCoasta." Andy said, as his protege came running over.

"Commander, are you alright?" DaCoasta asked, as Kira noticed that one terroist, was missed. Without a second thought, Kira grabbed, Samuels gun, right from his hand and came running out of his hiding spot.

"Look out!" Kira called, as he threw the gun, hitting the guy, in the hand, causing him, to miss his target, Andrew Waltfeld. That was when, Allenby, Andy, and DaCoasta, all opened fire on the man, causing the mists of blood to emerge from his body, as the body fell to the ground, with no beating heart.

"My, thanks kid." Andy said with a smirk, as Allenby looked Kira over, and was amazed at the stunt, he just pulled, as Samuel went over as Andy looked at DaCoasta, "I am definitley alright now, this kid, just saved my life." he told him, as Samuel, came closer.

"So, you are Andrew the Desert Tiger, Waltfeld." Samuel said, with a smirk as Cagalli, got a stern look upon her face.

"So, this is Samorei Joule, the unknown survivor of the bloody valentine, and chose to side with the ones that did such an act." Andrew said, in somewhat of a mocking voice.

"First Waltfeld, I go by Samuel Lewis now. And second, you seem to know me, very well, and probably my past, so you know I have no love for the Earth Forces." he told the tiger.

"Ah, so its now Samuel, so tell me why do you fly of an Earth Forces ship? Let alone the legged ship? our little berserker." Andy said, as Cagalli just looked at him, then to Samuel, as she had no clue what the two speak of. "Come, each of you, please come to my mansion." Andy told them, which caused some concern from Cagalli, Sam, and Kira. But Andy just tilted his head. "Come on, its a small thing I can do for you, for saving my life." he told them, as he then looked at Cagalli. "Besides, she has Tobasco, Yogurt, and Chili sauce all over herself." he noted.

* * *

A short while later, the four teens, Andy, DaCoasta all return to the mansion. "Well well Andy." came Aisha's voice, as she came foreward.

"Aisha!" Samuel said in shock.

"Ahh, so if it isn't my little student I tutored." Aisha said, placing a hand on Samuels head, like he was a little kid. "Its been a while miracal boy." she told him.

"Aisha, you know him?" Andy asked, as Aisha just nodded.

"Yeah, I helped him train in mobile suit combat." she said with a smile to her commander, and love interest. "I'm just amazed he took time off from his studies of olden games, such as the Javelin throw." she said with a smirk.

"Take it easy on that Aisha. That just saved Waltfelds life." he told her, as she just looked at Andy as he nodded.

"Oh, I see." she continued.

"Yes, he has, and don't forget Sam, that you now pilot that machine." Andy continued.

"Oh yes, the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame." Samuel told them, as Andy put a hand to his chin. This somewhat surprised Allenby.

"Oh, so that is your machine. And is this the other pilot?" she asked as Andy nodded.

"Yeah thats him, also Aisha, how about you take her to another room, and get her cleaned up, and meet us later." Andy said, motioning towards Cagalli.

"Sure thing Andy." she said, as she took Cagalli by the hand. She then led the blonde to the other room, leaving Kira a bit uneasy, having her leave him, in the middle of a ZAFT base.

"Come on you three, in here." Andy said, leading Allenby, Kira, and Samuel into a office like room. Kira was bewildered with what has been going on. Samuel, or rather Samorei Joule, knew two of three of the people they had just met, within the last half an hour. And not just that, Sam, was acting very calm in the room, as if he never even left ZAFT. He however, was more curious now, with a strange stone on a table near by. It looked like a fish, with two wings on it back. "Evidence O1, the very item George Glenn took back from his trip to jupiter." Andy told him. "Have you ever seen such a thing?" Waltfeld asked, as Samuel nodded to it, while Kira shook his head. "Ahh, so Samorei, you have seen it?" he asked.

"The real deal, is just outside the door of the Supreme Council's chamber." Samuel told him. "I went there some times, as Mom is a member." he informed the ZAFT commander. "Kinda hard to miss the Whale stone." he told him.

Andy, handed both Samuel and Kira a cup of coffee, while Allenby took it herself, as she took all this in. From what Andy said outside this room, the purple eyed cutie to her, was the one that made her such a laughing stock. "Does it even look like a whale to either of you?" Andrew asked them.

Kira shook his head. "Not really." he told him.

"It does to me." Samuel pointed out. "But the original version looks more like a whale than this one. It is at least three quarters the size of the Blue whale." he informed them.

"I see, what of you Allenby?" Andy asked.

"I think the same as Samuel, I saw it when he took me to meet his mother." She told her commander, taking a sip of her drink. "Things sure have changed eh Samorei. Just what do you do now?" she asked.

"I took the other thing I studied. Mechanics, mainly that of the mobile suit design, and I made the Jade Frame, from stolen data of the Earth Forces Strike." Samuel replied. "And Alley, it's Samuel now, Samorei died a year ago."

"That is what they tell me, yet that man, I broke up with, is sitting right infront of me, living and breathing like a normal person." she protested.

"I have never been normal, since I was kidnapped by Blue Cosmos!" he yelled at her, which caused a shock from two of the other three members of the room.

"Hmm, so what does this mean Sam?" Andy asked, as Allenby now knew why he acted strange, the damn bastards they fought moments ago.

"Something I do not want to remember, but what happened to me, for that Year I was missing, was and still is something I never want to remember." he continued.

"Understandable. Another thing that this accursed thing has caused for all these years." Andy continued, motioning towards the whale stone. "It's interesting how much trouble that thing has caused over the years. After all, it started this whole mess!" he stated.

Kira could not understand what Waltfeld meant what he said, so he asked. "How so sir?" he asked.

"Commander, may I answer that?" Allenby asked, as Andrew nodded to her, allowing her to do so. "

When you think about it, that's what started this war, if you go back far enough." Allenby began, as she continued. "George Glenn's revelations and his creation of the PLANTs to study that rock started the Coordinator boom, and that's what this war is all about, when you get down to it." she told them, as before anyone could say anything. Aisha came into the room, with a self aware Cagalli Yula, wearing a breath taking green dress.

Samuel was inpressed, with the way she looked, as he was more use to the tom boyish charm of the Athha girl, and was his first time, seeing her in a dress himself. Kira was bewildered, as Allenby just looked at the blonde haired girl. Kira began to move his lips, trying to speak, as then a sudden statement came from his mouth. "Your. . . a girl?" he asked, as everyone besides Cagalli began to laugh, as the she just got bewildered and angry at the Strike pilot.

"What did you think I was?" she asked raising her voice, as Samuel, Allenby, Aisha, and Andy all laughed at the exchange between the two. She raised a fist at Kira, who raised his hands in defence.

"No. . . I. . ." Kira tried to get out. "I just, never saw you in a dress like this." Kira admitted to her. Within moments, Aisha left the room, as Kira and Cagalli sat side by side, while Samuel kept in the seat to their left. In a lazyboy chair to be exact.

Waltfeld eyed the young Cagalli, as Allenby stood at the door, as though guarding it. He smiled at the amber eyed Cagalli. "You wear that dress, well." he smirked. "Like you were accustomed to it."

'_If only you knew what she truly was Waltfeld._' Samuel thought to himself, as he knew full well of who Cagalli was.

Cagalli, unlike Kira and Samuel, just looked at the man with anger in her eyes. "Is it your custom to dress people up before you kill them, Waltfeld?" she sneered. "Just another of your affectations?"

"Hold your tongue." Allenby told her, as Waltfeld just raised a hand to Allenby, making her stop, before making a scene.

"You've got lovely eyes," the Tiger said with a smile. "Something sincere about them. Very lovely eyes..." His expression suddenly hardened. "And too sincere for your own good."

She stood. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Waltfeld also stood. "Are you another one of those who rather perish?" he said softly, as he began to walk to a drawer on a nearby desk, as both Samuel and Kira stood, hoping that Cagalli, did not just gave each of them, the death penalty. "There are no clear rules for ending a war like this," he said, opening a drawer. "So how do you determine the winners and the losers? At what point do we put an end to it?" He swung a pistol up to point at the three of them, as Samuel looked, to see Allenby aiming right at him. "When every single one of your enemies has been destroyed?" he asked. "What then?" he asked.

Samuel just looked at the other two with hardened eyes. "And you choose to kill us now Andy?" he asked.

"Why do anything rash. We are all Coordinators in here." he said, not taking in who Cagalli really is.

Cagalli looked at the both of them, as she never knew. "You are both coordinators?" she asked.

"Cagalli, are you really that dumbstruck, he already said my mother is part of the PLANT supreme Council, so yeah I am, a second Gen to be exact." Samuel pointed out.

"Indeed, most people just think that its two Natural's piloting those machines. But besides Yzak Joule, and his family, along with Athrun Zala and his, know for a fact, that its a pair of coordinators." he told them, as he continued to aim at them. "I have no idea what your reasons are for deciding to fight against your own people, and it doesn't really matter" he continued, as Samuel was more than edgy right now, ready to take a bullet for Cagalli, and his friend Kira. "The fact is that we are enemies, to the bitter end. It can be no other way." Abruptly, he lowered the gun and set it aside on the desk infront of him. "It almost makes you wonder if there's any other way but for all of us to die," he said with a smile.

Cagalli, looked at him with a stern look, as Samuel noticed Allenby lowered her own weapon, almost mimicing her commander. "Your letting us go?" Cagalli asked the tiger.

"We're not on the battlefield," Waltfeld said. "Today, we have met as fellow warriors; I wouldn't kill you here. Unless provoked." he told them. With that, Aisha re-entered, showing them out. "We will see you on the battlefield." he called, as the three teens left.

* * *

Upon leaving, Samuel, let out a hefty sigh, just glad that the Tiger did not decide to kill them. "That was just to close." Samuel commented. Earning a look from both Cagalli, and Kira, as for Cagalli, she learned today, of who, and somewhat of what Samuel truly is.

"Does Mina know who you really are?" she asked him.

"Hell yeah, my identitiy change was her, and her brothers' Idea." he told her.

* * *

Upon a few hours later, they returned to the main camp of the Desert Dawn, returning with new heavy artillery. Samuel entered a tent, where Mina waited for him. "Took you all long enough." She said, with her legs crossed, as she looked into the sky. "Did you get what I asked for?" she asked him.

"Damn, I knew I forgot something in that fire fight." he said, causing somewhat a look of worry from Mina.

"Are you hurt?" she asked with concern, as he just shook his head.

"No, my dear, I am fine." He said walking towards her, as he kneeled down, beside the chair she sat in. "Besides, I finally, met and Idol of mine." he told her.

Mina looked a bit confused. "Who would that be?" she asked.

"THe Desert Tiger, he is a lot kinder, when you don't have to fight him." He told her, as he stood back up. "So, does the Desert Dawn have enough weapons, and us enough supplies, to make it to Alaska?"

"Yeah, as far as I know, I am only of Orb, and have no rights, to actually know what the Archangel has left." Mina admitted. "But hey, its not my ship, so its not my business." she told him with a shrug.

"Point taken." Sam confirmed, as he stood. "Well now Athha's girl knows who I am, and I don't doubt she will tell her old man." he told her.

"Nah, I've known Cagalli for years, and she is not that kind of girl." Mina said, actually saying something good about her families rival's daughter.

* * *

Later that day Banadiya:

"Hey, what are they doing giving us more ZuOOTs?" Andrew called out asking. "All they are good for is mobile turrets." he called out, as Allenby handed him some transfer papers. "Thanks." he said going over them. "I see, members of the Creuset Team." He commented, as he took notice of one of the names. "I see, so Samorei's brother is among the transfers. Quite interesting." he said, as he then noticed the two ZAFT pilots walking over.

"Yzak Joule, of the Creuset team" Yzak said with a salute, as Dearka did as well.

"Dearka Elsman, of the same team." Dearka told his new commander.

"I see, I am Andrew Waltfeld." Andy said, as he took notice of Yzak's scar. "Quite a scar you got there. A battle wound? Or a reminder of humiliation?" he asked.

"Something that my brother is going to pay for, especially for what he did to our family." Yzak replied, as he looked over to Allenby. "And how is Housenka?" he asked Allenby.

"Willing to go into combat." Allenby replied. "However, she just got out of the academy, she is already assigned a CGUE." she informed him.

"I see, guess she will be on the battle field again." Yzak said to her.

"I see, so your space model machines are going to fight here on Earth?" Waltfeld asked.

* * *

A few days later, the Archangel, floated over the desert, upon its levitators. Upon the bridge, Samuel, and Mina stood not far from Kuzzey's station. "So, today is the day we fight the tiger." Samuel commented, as he was actually already in full pilots uniform.

"It sure does seem to be." Murrue, commented, as she turned to the guests. "Crewman Argyle, anything on the systems yet?" she asked.

"No mam, the desert sands are quiet." he told her.

"Hmm, that is not like Allenby." Samuel commented.

"The one that pilots the blue BuCUE right?" Natarle asked, as Sam nodded.

"I dated the girl." he commented.

"Ouch, talk about an X in a bad mood." Tolle joked.

"Tolle, would you be laughing if our roles were that of his and hers?" Mir snapped at her boyfriend, which made Mina give a small laugh, and Samuel a role of his eyes.

"I'll be down in the Jade Frame" Samuel announced as he went out of the place.

"Be careful." Mina said under her breath.

* * *

In the cafeteria, Kira sat silently, poking at his food. "What's wrong? Hurry up and eat." La Flaga slid another item onto his plate. "Here, take this, too."

Kira looked at the commander. "Uh, Commander? Haven't you had enough to eat?"

"We've got a battle ahead of us, remember? If we don't eat, we won't have any strength." La Flaga held up a bottle. "Here, it tastes great with yogurt sauce." As the younger pilot's look was unexpected, almost a frightened, reaction, he looked concerned. "Something wrong?" The hawk asked.

"It's just... The Tiger said the same thing: It tastes great with yogurt sauce."

"You don't say," La Flaga said. "That man knows his food." He turned serious. "It's a lot easier when you don't know your enemy personally; just forget him."

"Huh?"

"When you're fighting for your life against someone you know personally," he explained, "it's a lot harder to do it. As you know Samuel's brother is piloting the Duel"

Kira winced, remembering Athrun Zala and that Samuel's brother is Yzak Joule. But before he could say anything, an explosion was heard. "What the? Are we under attack?" someone said.

"Has the battle started?" another called out.

* * *

Archangel Bridge

Jackie turned to his Captain. "Captain, Explosions heard in the minefield!" he relayed.

Then it was Sai's turn, "Enemy machines Detected!" he relayed. "Unknown numbers, two vessels also detected. Probably an Escort, and Carrier Vessels!" he called out.

"Alright, Prepare for anti air, and anti mobile suit combat!" Murrue ordered.

"Activate Igelstellungs, bring Valiants and Gottfrieds online. Load Missile Tubes with wombats!" Natarle ordered. "Prepare Mobile Suits, and Skygraspers for Launch!" she continued.

* * *

Samuel's Jade Frame, was loaded onto the Port Side Catapult. "_APU active, connected to Catapult, Binsoku Pack, connected. You are clear to launch."_ Mir told him, as Samuel nodded. "_Samuel, Lady Sahaku wishes you luck._" she told him.

"Alright, tell her. Thanks." Sam replied, as he got his systems online, as this time, he could fight to his full abilities. "Samorei Joule, heading out!" he called, as the Jade Frame took off, as he came right out into battle, right infront of a Heli. Upon coming out, he drew a beam sabre using it to slice through the missiles, as well as through the aircraft itself.

Kira's Strike set down inside the Catapult, as the Aile Striker pack was added on. "_Are you sure you want the Aile pack?_" Murdoch asked him.

"Yeah, against BuCUE's I need mobility, not firepower, or else the same thing would happen, like that night for our first time here." Kira answered.

"_Kira you are clear for launch._" Mir called out.

"Thanks Mir. Kira Yamato, heading out!" He called, as his machine came flying out of the Starboard leg, as not far behind, a Skygrasper, equipped with the Strikes Launcher pack. "Samuel, what is the current situation with you?" Kira called out, as for Samuel, the Jade Frame sliced a Heli in two, as it turned and opened fire with its igelstellungs, tearing another to shreds.

"Just peachy." Samuel told him, as the Jade Frame turned to take a few missiles, of a passing by Infestus VTOL plane. "Looks like Waltfeld is planning to tire us out with these canon fodder." he called out, as he put away his beam sabre, and brought out his beam rifle again. With the moderate targeting sequence, the Jade Frame took, three shots with its beam rifle, turning three Heli's into new desert dust.

"Shouldn't we spare our energy for when the BuCUE's get here then?" Kira asked, as all of a sudden, he took three missiles to his shield.

"Alright you two, here they come!" Mu called out, as his Skygrasper flew by, to go help the two mobile suits handle these machines. And with a high impulse cannon, it was a jet, you would not want to mess with. With this, both the Earth Forces Strike Gundam, and Orb Astray prototype took off towards the incoming enemy.

* * *

Lesseps, hangar:

"Sir, your LaGOWE is fully repaired." a mechanic said, as Andy wearing a black and orange pilots suit, while beside him Aisha wore her own, nearly white pilots uniform.

"What of my BuCUE?" Allenby asked.

"Fully Functional, but I will say, it's easier to repair than the commanders machine." the mechanic told her.

"Of course, you still need experience to fix the new top of the line Terrestrial Maneuver fighter, and attacker mobile suit." Andy told them, as Allenby had to agree. The new machine was indeed a true upgrade of the BuCUE itself. He then turned to the pilots of the two stolen G-Weapons, Dearka and Yzak. "I know Yzak, you have your brother out there, but I want the both of you stationed on the Lesseps." he told them.

"WHAT!" Yzak began to yell. "If anyone is to fight Samorei, is me!" he yelled.

"And what good will you do, with the Duel, neck deep in sand." Waltfeld told him, as he went towards the LaGOWE. "Aisha, Allenby, lets go, we have some opponents, to fight." he told them, as Aisha nodded, and went to the orange LaGOWE, while Allenby went for her azure blue BuCUE.

"This time, I am going to get Answers from Samorei, myself." Allenby whispered to herself. "Allenby Hahenfuss, BuCUE heading out!" she called, as her machine jumped from the Lesseps launch deck.

* * *

Desert Battle:

The Jade Frame landed on the sand, as it drew a beam sabre, cutting off two of the legs of a BuCUE, that came charging at him, with its own beam sabre ignited. The BuCUE's beam sabre, melted away, one of the antenna, on the Jade Frames head. "That was to close." Sam told himself, as he took off to the air again.

Over by a resistance fighter jeep, it sped across the sand, as all of a sudden a BuCUE crushed it, and its opponents. "Damn it!" another rider yelled, as the same BuCUE came towards them. However, the Strike Gundam, landed on such a machine, aiming its rifle down, and blowing the machines occupant to ashes with the heated beam of energy.

"You'll pay for that!" another BuCUE pilot called out, as his machine came charging towards the Strike. Kira placed his beam rifle on a hard point and drew one of the beam sabres from his aile striker pack. As he did an acrobatic move in the air, he came down, with the sabre, cleaving the mobile suit in half, from head to tail. Having the pilot incinerated with it. The next machine was not as lucky, as the beam sabre still out, Kira motioned his wrist, and threw the sabre right into the optical sensor of the mobile suit. Killing the pilot with it, however Kira fired a beam rifle shot, to finish the machine off itself. The Final one to Kira came rushing towards him, while Kira, took the fight to the enemy machine. With a swift kick from the Gundams foot, the BuCUEs head, became that of a soccer ball, sending it away. Upon doing so, the Strike flew towards the sky, shooting the machine into the cockpit, to finish that one off as well.

With that, memories of the meeting they had with the Desert tiger a few days ago flooded through his mind. As did how innocent Allenby was, and then pictureing the battle they had before they met in person.

* * *

Archangel Bridge:

A sudden jolt was felt on the bridge, as Mina grabbed onto Sai's chair, as the ship got caught in an old factories cables, and debris. "What was that?" Murrue asked.

"We are stuck on some of the debris cables of the factory." Arnold called out.

"Well get us out." Natarle called out, as the Port side leg of the Archangel crashed into the sand.

"We can't, we would need some help!"

* * *

Archangel Hangar:

Within the Archangel, the second Skygrasper was beginning to get ready for take off. "Come on, the Commander will be back any minute for this machine!" he called with his back turned, as Cagalli, who had just come aboard with Ahmed, jumped into the cockpit of the Skygrasper.

"Hey, you there!" Murdoch shouted. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We can't afford to leave aircraft in the hanger," she said sharply, closing the canopy. "We're taking it!"

"Oh no you're not!" The mechanic stepped back as the jet exhaust blazed at him.

"Listen man, when the Goddess of Victory gets an idea she sticks to it." Ahmed called out, sitting in the copilot's seat behind Cagalli."

"Move it! You'll get fried!" She took firm hold of the stick. "Open the hatch!"

"What is it with these kids these days?" Murdoch complained. "Open the hatch!" As the fighter shot away, he called after her, "Don't blame me if you get shot down!"

* * *

Desert Battle:

Samuel dodged a rail gun shot from a BuCUE, as the machines beam sabres ignited. "Not this time." he told the machine, as it put the beam rifle back into its hard point location. With that, the Jade Frame clasped both its hands down on the head of the machine, like a Person holding the maw of an Alligator together. With a quick snap to the machines wrists, the head was ripped off, and Samuel had the Jade Frame, use what energy was left in the sabres, to cleave the rest of the machine in half. When done, the head of the BuCUE was tossed away.

That was when a wall of sand was formed just to the left of the Jade Frame. Samuel turned wondering what was going on, until an Azure Blue BuCUE came flying out of the wall of sand. Samuel quickly banked to the left, but the BuCUE's beam sabre melted away some of the Phase Shift armor, to the right side of the Torso. "Samorei!" Allenby called, as the BuCUE landed on all four legs, with its single red eye glowing. "Its time we talked!" she called out.

* * *

Kira fired at a ZuOOT, destroying the moving turret with ease. He then saw that Skygrasper 2 had taken off. "Who's on that?" he asked himself, as before he could call to see, a series of beams hit the sand around him. With that, Kira turned to see, an orange version of the BuCUE, but it had a more sinister look. Besides its more sinister look, it is equipped with a double-bladed beam saber in its mouth (though of a slightly different design), but instead of a missile launcher or railguns, it mounts a pair of powerful beam cannons on its back turret, and also mounts a two "leg spike" claws on each foot. This sinister machine, was known as the TMF/A-803 LaGOWE. "What the? A commanders model." Kira told himself taking note of the machine. As now the Strike got ready to fight this incoming machine, of the people he met, a few days ago.

"There you are you little hotshot." The Desert Tiger nearly whispered, as infront of him, Aisha controlled the beam cannon turret on the machines back, as Andy could concentrate on the movement, of the four legged machine. "You will have to deal with me first!" He called out, as the quadrouped machine came charging.

* * *

Lesseps Deck

The GAT-X102 Duel, and 103 Buster, both acting as mobile Turrets on the Lesseps continued to fire at the Legged ship. "This is ridiculous!" Dearka called out, as next to him, Yzak's hot shot temper was getting the better of him.

"Damn this, Allenby will not be the one who takes out that traitor!" Yzak yelled, at his monitor, as he watched the BuCUE and Jade Frame sizeing each other up. "I'm going after him!" he yelled, as the Duel hit its thrusters, as it took off.

"Yzak!" Dearka called after him, as he took flight as well. Once the two machines landed in the loose sand, the mobile suits began to slip and slide. "What the, I can't get any footing?" Dearka asked himself.

"ARGH, now I know the reason why I hate the desert!" Yzak called out, as even slipping, he tried to fire in the direction of the Jade Frame.

Samuel saw the shots, and dodged, as he took note, of what just fired at him. "Yzak, he's here?" Samuel questioned himself.

Allenby smirked, at the futile attempt. "So your brother, has tried to attack. But its futile for him, if he doesn't update his machine for Desert Warfare." she mused, as the BuCUE, began to charge at the jade frame, as the damage done to it already, sparked.

"No, Alley, I wont go down today." Samuel radioed to her, as he took to the right, having the blazing beam sabre miss the Jade Frame barely.

"Tell me Sam, why are you working for the Earth Forces?" She asked, as she fired a pair of missiles at the machine, while the Jade Frames Igelstellungs destroyed the pair of weapons.

He continued to fire at the BuCUE with the Igelstellungs aiming for one of the side mounted missile launchers. The bullets turned the missile launcher into swiss cheese, shaking Allenby up a bit, as she fired her beam turret at the Jade Frame, for a counter attack. The attack hit, melting away half of the head of the machine. "Because, someone I care about, is on the ship I wish to protect." Samuel replied, as now his machine gun was useless, unless risking total sensor shutdown, he changed to that of the beam sabre, also throwing away the shield, and drawing the other.

"Who, why do you wish to protect, makes you end up with the people you hate so much?" she called out, as the BuCUE fired another blast. With uncanny moves, the Jade Frame deflected the beams with both sabres. She never saw such abilities, of a mobile suit, especially in atmosphere. That was when she saw it, the Jade Frames eyes, that were once golden, now glowed a ghostly white.

"Because she Saved my Life!" He called, hitting the thrusters going right at the machine. Kira on the other hand, took various shots to the Strike, with its shield, rather than itself. As not far from them, Dearka was starting to get some footing, as he used his thrusters to get out of the sand, and back on the Lesseps.

"Damn, better not try that again." he told himself, as he combined both of his guns, to have them form into the 94mm hyper impulse sniper rifle. Which took aim at the Archangel, as not far from him, the Henry Carter lost its bow guns, thanks to that of Cagalli, and Ahmed, in Skygrasper II.

Over the Earth Forces frequincie, that Samuel was not listening to, Mu la Flaga called over it. "_That was great you two!"_ he called, as Cagalli banked away.

"That was only the beginning!" Cagalli radioed back, as Ahemd smiled behind her.

"Come on, lets get the other one!" he called out, as the Skygrasper, went for the Lesseps.

"No, you don't." Dearka told himself, as he saw the sword striker equipped grasper heading right for him. With that, both shoulder compartments, snapped open, revealing the two hundred twenty millimeter six barreled missile launcher, as a total of a dozen missiles were fired at the Skygrasper.

"Damn, hold on Ahmed!" Cagalli called, as she tried to bank out of the way, but two of the missiles hit, the starboard wing, and heavily damaged the engine, from the wings shrapnel. "Damn, were going down!" she called, as Dearka smiled seeing the plane go down, as he turned his attention back at the Archangel. And he knew, the regular missiles, and shot gun, would not do much against the thickness of the ships armor.

"No more interuptions." He told himself, as he fired the Hyper Impulse gun, however the beam missed completely, and melted away the cables holding the legged ship.

* * *

Archangel Bridge:

After, feeling the small tremor, Arnold Neuman, made knew what happend. "That shot freed us!" he called, as Murrue nodded.

"Turn Sixty Degrees Starboard!" Murrue called out, as the supervisor of the CIC began her own orders.

"Gottfrieds, Target Enemy Vessel the Lesseps!" she called, as the beams turned, while at the same time, the Henry Carter exploded, thanks to a Hyper Impulse cannon blast from Mu's Agni cannon.

* * *

Andy, taking notice to the Archangel's freedom, took note. "That legged ship... It's almost indestructible!" he said.

* * *

As Natarle took the final orders of hers, to the it. "GOTTFRIEDS FIRE!" she called, as the two Ship grade weapons opened fire on the land battle ship. Dearka saw the two giant beams, and jumped from the Lesseps back into the sand, as a ZuOOT, and most of the ship, was not so lucky.

Waltfeld took not of this, as he dodged a beam rifle shot from Kira, as he knew that the battle was lost. "DaCoasta! Hahenfuss!" he radioed.

"_Sir_!" the two soldiers called out.

"Send out orders to retreat."

_"But, sir-" _DaCoasta began.

"We have to cut our losses," Waltfeld said patiently. "Regroup the remaining forces and retreat to Banadiya, then notify Gibraltar."

_"Sir-"_

"_Sorry, Sir no can do._" Allenby replied, as he saw that in amazement, her BuCUE, and the Jade Frame, were in a duel with beam sabres. As he saw that the Azure blue machine, managed, to slice off one of the hands of the Jade Frame.

"I see, now you Aisha, you get out of here to." he told her.

Aisha shook her head. "I'd sooner lay down my life. Not a chance."

Waltfeld smiled. "So then we're all idiots."

"I'm fine with that." Aisha replied.

"_Same Here commander." _Allenby told him, full with adrenaline.

"Okay. Then let's get them both!" The LaGOWE leaped back at the Strike.

Kira blocked it. "Don't do it!"

"I ain't done with you yet, kid!"

The Strike flew backwards. "You've already lost the fight! Surrender!" He held his saber ready; his rifle had been destroyed earlier in the fight.

"Like I said, there are no clear rules for ending a war like this!" The following attack sliced off one of the Strike's wings, while Kira's counterstrike sliced off the LaGOWE's beam cannon.

Kira looked down at his display and watched in horror as his energy ran out. "Don't do it, Waltfeld!"

"There's no other way; I'm not giving up... until one of us is destroyed!" Waltfeld leapt for him once again...

Within Kira's mind, the amethyst seed, burst into a nova, as Kira's mind was now clear. The now powerless sabre dropped, as it was now useless, and the Aile Striker pack was eject, now being useless for flight, and the already low power of the Strike. With this, the two hidden hip compartments of the Strike opened up completely, as the machine grabbed the both of them. Upon doing so, both the Strike, and the LaGOWE, charged right at each other, chargeing, for the final joust, of knights. They Leapt at each other, the LaGOWE now able to use its leg spikes on the powerless machine, with no phase shift. It leapt like a lioness after a wildebeast of the African Savana, as the Strike, went for the LaGOWE, with a pair of daggers, that of a shinobi assassin.

This time, the Assassin bet the beast, with only getting injured on the side, but the beast, had the dagger, sticking out of the back of its neck. Then collapsing onto the desert sand. "Andy!" Aisha called out, releasing her restraints that held her implace. The pair leapt at each other in the machine, for one final embrace, as they did the LaGOWE detonated. The Death, of two ones who truly loved each other.

* * *

Allenby saw this, and the weakened Strike. "NO DAMN IT!" she called, as her machine has been badly damaged, as well as the Jade Frame, now behind it, as the BuCUE, began to charge for Kira. Samuel saw this, as he quit thinking with his heart, and tackled the BuCUE, into a headlock, with the arm, that had no hand. With this, the two machines fell into the sand of dust. Alley, full of anger, from the destruction of the LaGOWE, ignited her sabres, one, pierceing right into the ground, having what surrounded it, turn to that of glass. While the other, stabbed itself, right into the head of the Jade Frame, with both machines fighting each other. For being on its side, the missile launcher also began to open fire, with her hoping to knock out the phase shift.

"That is enough Alley, I don't want to hurt you!" Samuel called out.

"No, that guy killed them!" she called out, as Samuel kept on feeling the shock, as the missile launcher behind him, continued to open fire.

"Then I have no choice!" he called, as the hand of the Jade Frame, latched onto the side of the BuCUE, melting away a few fingers, the Jade Frame, began to break the neck, of the BuCUE, as the metal began to be heard grinding. The head of the Jade Frame, was now completely gone, as the sabre of the BuCUE, began to melt away its own armor. The rest of the machine, stopped moving, as the Jade Frame stood backing away. "No, what, what have I done." he said, as the BuCUE began to detonate.

"AHHH!" the scream of Allenby was heard over the ZAFT radio, as the BuCUE exploded as well.

The Duel, not so far, away, saw the carnage, done by his brother, as he saw what had happened. He now had to tell the Housenka's sister was dead. As both Kira, and Samuel, with there machines laying in the sand, looked in horror with what they have done. Kira, for killing someone he has met, in person, and liked.

And Samuel, killing somone he knew, well, very well, had just died by his own hands. "I. . ." he stumbled, as Kira was the same thing.

"I. . ." Kira stuttered. "I didn't want to Kill HIM!" he called out.

"I. . .DAMN IT!" Samuel called out, as he slammed his monitors. "I. . . Didn't want to kill a friend." he cried, tears forming in his eyes.

* * *

A/N: Waltfeld, Allenby, Aisha, all dead, or for the people, who have watched Seed. Or are they, all these questions that could be going through your head, will have to wait and see in the future.

Please Review, and tell me what you think of this. Also, a new Oc, will appear sometime soon, may it be next, or the one after. And to say this, that Oc is not mine, he will be a character, I got from the Death Bringer.


	16. Chapter 16: The White Demon

Disclaimer: I only own Samuel, and the Jade Frame. The new OC appearing here, belongs to Nightmare Lord now, as he changed his name. The White Frame also belongs to him.

The New mobile Armor in here belongs to Konami, as the rest belongs to Sunrise.

* * *

Chapter 16: The White Demon

After the hellacious battle, Murrue, Natarle, Mina, and Samuel, joined Sahib, for a toast. Mina, known as a Noble of Orb, was use to such events, was very calm in this. But she knew, that Samuel was bothered, by the way, he had his foot playing in the sand. He was sadned, for what he did to the pilot of the BuCUE, with pain within him. Even though, the sadness, was only being shown by his foot, he held a glass of alchohol in his hand. He knew such customs as well, from being in the PLANTs, in such a high regard family, thanks to his mother. "To a new Desert Dawn!" Sahib Ashman called out, raising his glass.

"To a Victorious Future!" Murrue said, raising her own glass.

"And to a peacefull one." Mina commented, as La Flaga nodded.

"I'll drink to that M'lady." he told her, taking a drink of his glass.

"To, the fallen friends we have, and may we ask for forgiveness, from their families." Samuel told them, thinking of Allenby, and Aisha, two people he knew well. Mina, knew this, as she nodded as both he and her, took a drink of there own drinks, gulping it down, making some sour looks, as this was very strong potent drink. However, unlike them, Natarle coughed some, from realizing how hard the drink was. While Murrue, coughed slightly, and smiled.

"You do realize, this victory, over the tiger, is only temporary." Mu, told the Dawns leader. "Even with him gone, you still got the rest of ZAFT to deal with."

"Then, we will fight them again!" he told them, as he held his drink in one hand, and an automatic rifle in the other. "Until our last man!" he called out.

With that, a small child came running into the room. "Father!" he called, as he came in. "The Chief, wishes us to honor those that have fallen." he told them.

* * *

Upon moments later, everyone was at the memorial. Ahmed, clasped Cagalli's hands, as the name, of his father, one of the men, that was crushed by a BuCUE, weeks ago was named. Mina, kept her eyes closed, as she mumbled her words, as Samuel looked upon, the bombfire, behind the Chief.

"May, the fallen's spirits be free, along side those of the fallen, of the bloody valentine." he whispered to himself, as Mu took note of what he said. The kid was there at the incident, and the week, was close to that, of the one year anniversery of the tragedy.

"Amen to that." Mina said that to him, as the two slipped there hands to cup each other, to their side, which really intrigued the hawk of endymion.

* * *

The Next day, the Archangel, was being prepped for take off, as infront of Murrue, Natarle, and Mu Cagalli, spoke. "I'm going," she said. "I've already decided." she told him, then turning leaving the Hawk, and Kisaka behind her.

"Is she always like this?" Mu asked. With that, Kisaka just shrugged.

"She is always like that." Mina intruded behind them, as Mu, looked at her with a questionable look. Wonder, how exactly an Orb Noble knows someone out here in the desert.

Cagalli, on the otherhand, was walking towards Ahmed, who was speaking to his mother. Cagalli, just came to them, as Ahmeds mother, just finished a hug. She noticed, a jade like stone in Ahmed's hand, that was encased by his moms hand. "Am I intruding?" she asked.

"Uh. . . uh no. . . nothing." He told her, hiding it behind him.

"Umm, something I missed?" Cagalli asked, as Ahmed shook his head no.

"No, I actually decided to go with you, be a body guard like Kisaka and Samuel." he told her, earning a nod from Cagalli.

"Ahmed, I would like that." she replied.

* * *

Two days later:

The Archangel, flew on its levitators, as she got closer, and closer to the open sea, known as the Indian Ocean, but before then, the Red Sea. As the Desert below them, began to lessen and lessen, into that of the open sea. "We're heading out, Captain," Ensign Arnold Neumann reported to his captain on the Bridge. "Approaching the Red Sea." he informed her. As on the bridge, the main crew watched, as did Mina and Samuel who looked over the sea.

"Its been to long, since I've seen the ocean." Samuel commented, as Mina nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, how long has it been for you Sam? Seven Months?" she asked him, as he nodded.

"Then, I suggest you two go out and get some air then." Murrue smirked and looked towards them, earning some looks from the two. "Just do so, as this is the ship I am in command of, I order the two of you to go out for some air."

"Yes mam." Samuel told her, standing at attention.

"Infact, For a short time, I will allow off-duty personnel to take turns about deck," Ramius announced. "Please relay the message to everyone on board," she told Crewman Kuzzey Buskirk, at the Communications station.

"That's great," Tolle Koenig, the copilot, said happily to Neumann.

Miriallia Haw and Sai Argyle exchanged happy looks, while Lieutenant junior grade, Natarle, got on the intercom, as Samuel walked down to where she is. Bridge to Chief Murdoch," she radioed. "Are the sonar Preperations ready yet?" she asked.

"_We're doing it right now,"_ Murdoch replied._ "The kid's making the final adjustments now; it shouldn't be too much longer."_

"Hurry it up. And Chief," she said, her voice turning uncharacteristically teasing, "I'd be careful about calling a superior officer 'kid' if I were you; that kind of mistake could wind up in your official record. Be careful."

The only reply was a moan.

"Hey Murdoch." Samuel chipped in, on the radio.

"_Yeah kid?" _Murdochs voice asked. "_I can still call you kid, right?_" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess, I am not part of the Earth Forces, so my rank is nothing." he commented. "How is the Binsoku pack?" he asked.

"_Oh that, from what I've seen from it, unless you learn how to make things automaticly fix themselves. Then, no, the thing is scrapped, we can't do a thing for you, with the resources we have." _Murdoch gave him the news, as Sam's face looked Grim.

"I see, I will be down, to take a look myself later. Right now, your gracious Captain, has ordered me, to go outside." he told him.

A hearty laugh, was heard on the otherside, as the radio went silent, with Murdoch leaving it. "Well, Samorei, care to join me on the deck?" Mina asked, him from above, as he nodded, and left to join her.

Once, they left, Natarle came over to Murrue. "It seems commander Flaga, was right about them." she commented, as Tolle turned around, as his shift was about to end.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Tolle, you idiot." Mir called down to him, causing a smirk from Murrue. "Can't you feel the romance between them?" she asked, as he just shrugged. "Pfft, Men." she said crossing her arms.

* * *

Archangel, Starboard Deck, Below Bridge

Sam, came out ahead of Mina, as she came out behind him, in full Orb Noble gown, that she ususally wears. However, she began to take some off, with it falling to the deck, right until, she was down to a white t-shirt. "The sun, at a more reasonable temperature, wonderful." she said, as she held onto the railing, as Samuel, just wore a t-shirt. Something, he actually did in ZAFT. Not wearing his uniform at all times, even though, most of the time, he kept the pants.

"You can say that again." Sam replied, looking down to the "leg" of the Archangel, as a pod of white dolphins, jumped in the waves, made by the Levitators of the Archangel. "It almost seems the war, has yet to touch, such a place." he commented.

He turned to see, some of Mina's long hair be tossed in the wind beside her. Her red eyes, looked to the sky, as Samuel followed her gaze, to see a flock of seagulls fly buy, to go to the water, to catch whatever fish the dolphins scare into the air. "Your right, it's just as peaceful as Orb is." she told him, as they noticed, that Tolle, Mir, and Kuzzey came into the area.

"This will be fun." Sam said, noticing the nervous look, upon Kuzzey's face.

"Ahh, the ocean breeze, feels so good!" Mir said running up beside Mina, who got startled, by the sudden appearance.

"Oh, Mir. . .?" she tried to remember.

"Miriallia Haww." Mir replied, as Mina nodded.

"Yeah thats right, sorry, its so hard to remember everyones names." Mina said, shaking her head, as Mir just smirked.

"Yeah we know." Tolle told her, leaning with his back, towards the railing.

"Ahh, guys, is it actually safe to be doing that?" Kuzzey asked, which really got Sam's interest, as Tolle was to speak next.

"Oh, thats right." Tolle spoke out.

"This is your first time, at sea." Mir continued, as Samuel continued, as his smirk became more sinister.

"Yeah." Kuzzey, continued, still nervous. "I wonder how deep it goes?"

"Miles." Samuel spoke out loud, as Kuzzey became more nervous as Mir, decided to join in.

"Where the great sea monsters dwell." she teased him.

"Like that, of the Scylla, and that of the great Leviathan!" Samuel continued, as he saw the smile, of Mina, who was trying to not burst out and laugh. Not a good image of a noble after all.

"Samuel come on." She said, taken him away, as the hatch slid closed, she took a deep breath.

* * *

"What was that about?" the two asked each other at the same time. "It's something everyone does once in a while, preying on there friends fears, and unknowns." he told her.

"Oh, I see, and you know how bad of an image it is, when a Noble is seen laughing at something like that." she told him, as they walked through the Archangel. "Well no matter, we got that air, the captain ordered us to." she told him, with her own smirk. "Now, what do we do with the Jade Frame, when we arrive in Orb?" she asked him.

"Well for one thing, Getting a new Atmosphereic flight pack, will be the first step." he told her, as the two walked through the halls.

* * *

Archangel Aft Deck:

Kira stepped out onto the aft deck, uniform jacket over his shoulder. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he walked toward the railing and sat on the deck. As had been happening far too often of late, his mind wandered to his recent battles, replaying the events.

_"There are no clear rules for ending a war like this," he said, opening a drawer. "So how do you determine the winners and the losers? At what point do we put an end to it?" _Echoed, through his mind.

_"When every single one of your enemies has been destroyed?"_

_"There's no other way; I'm not giving up... until one of us is destroyed!"_

Kira jerked, glancing around to reaffirm where he was, then bowed his head, arms wrapped tightly around his knees. _But still,_ he thought, _unless I fight and destroy them, everyone will..._

He remembered the day the lead ship of the Eighth Fleet advance force had been destroyed, with Flay's father aboard, and heard again her anguished scream. And worse, her words to him after regaining consciousness. _"Its because you are a coordiantor, and you Samuel, its because your in love with one!_"

"So, she is one, the Sahaku's daughter, is a coordinator." Kira told himself, as not many, must of knew such a thing.

Behind him, the hatch opened again, and Cagalli along with Ahmed stepped out. "Hey, Kira!" she called. "I see you came out for a little fresh air, too." She was puzzled when he silently stood, and walked to his side. "Kira," she said softly, studying his face, "have you been crying?"

Kira turned away, moving to leave, and she caught his wrist. "Wait!" Her eyes widened at his expression, and he brushed past.

Cagalli caught up with him with a couple of quick steps, and it was his turn to be surprised as she hugged him. "Hey- Wha- What-?"

"It's all right," she said softly. "It's okay; don't worry, everything's going to be fine."

Kira just stood there for a moment, stiff with shock, then relaxed, some of the tension leaving him for the first time in far too long.

Cagalli held him several more moments, then stepped back, holding his wrists. "Are you feeling better?" she asked, smiling.

"I... uh..." he stammered, reddening slightly.

Ahmed, coughed a little getting Cagalli's attention, as he motioned, that she was holding hands with someone that slapped her not to long ago. She realized, what he was motioning, as she let go, of him, with a furious look. "Hey, don't get me wrong. I'm not interested in you in that kind of way, all right? I just thought you upset, that's all. Some people!"

She said, stalking away from Kira, who was confused, with the attitude change. "You know Cagalli, your the one that came onto him." Ahmed pointed out, as the two went over to the bulkhead.

"Shut up Ahmed." she said to him. Kira, then joined the both of them, with sitting down on the deck, against the bulkhead. She then turned to look at Kira. "You know, you're a pretty strange guy."

Kira turned, puzzled. "Huh?"

"Just like the other day for example, when you totally freaked out and then slapped me?"

_"What can you hope to protect when your _feelings_ are the only weapons you've got?"_

He winced, remembering it quite well. "Sorry."

"Well, it's not that I'm really mad," she said, tacitly forgiving him. "But I wonder sometimes why on earth you're a Coordinator in the first place!"

Kira blinked. "Wha?"

Cagalli felt slightly abashed. "Oh; that didn't come out right. I mean, why are you fighting for the Earth Forces if you're a Coordinator? Sam, is just protecting that Sahaku woman, while you, I don't understand yet." she told him.

"Yeah man, why are you piloting a machine, like the Strike against ZAFT?" Ahmed asked the brown haired teen.

"You probably think that's strange; I get that a lot."

Athrun Zala. _"What are you doing with the Earth Forces? Why are you siding with the Naturals? Tell me!"_

Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia. _"But you're already a traitor to your fellow Coordinators, not like you are the first, but you are fighting them, are you not?"_

Andrew Waltfeld. _"I have no idea what your reasons are for deciding to fight against your own people."_

"Whether or not people think you're strange isn't the point," Cagalli said. "We're at war because both Coordinators and Naturals are determined to exterminate each other, no matter what the cost. I mean... don't _you_ have strong feelings about that?"

Kira turned his head, meeting her eyes. "What about you?" he asked quietly; also rhetorically. The answer to _that_ question was fairly obvious.

"My feelings toward someone have nothing to do with their being Coordinator _or_ Natural," she told him. "My family, are friends with both Coordinators, and Naturals, as am I." she told him.

He smiled. "Same here."

"But I also think that when somebody attacks you in a war, you have no choice but to fight back."

Kira leaned back. "I know," he said softly.

Cagalli looked at him, concerned, but then his eyes turned to her and he chuckled quietly. "You know," he said after a moment, "there's no difference between Coordinators, and everyone else."

"But you guys can do so much more stuff than we can," she protested, recalling the seemingly superhuman feats she'd seen both Kira and Samuel, perform, out there in the desert. Samuel blocking beam shots with his beam sabres, and Kira, facing off a LaGOWE, with only a pair of daggers. "You're talented in all these different ways, from birth."

"Only if we sharpen our skills by practicing, studying, and training properly," Kira disagreed. "Like Naturals, we're born with potential; we're not gifted just because we're Coordinators."

She smiled. "Well then, I guess the two."

"It is true that... we don't catch deadly diseases, and that we had our genes altered before we were born, to enhance our physical and mental abilities," he conceded. "But I thought everyone aspired to that, even Naturals. And that's why we exist."

Cagalli nodded thoughtfully, both of them unaware that Flay had just reached the hatchway. "Yeah, you're right."

Kira looked at her again. "So, why the war?"

* * *

Unknown to them, Flay was not far, and heard the three talking with each other, as also she did not know, she was being watched. By both Mina, and Samuel, as Sam put a finger up to Mina, to keep quiet. "Check this out." he told her. With that, Flay was beginning to take off her uniform jacket. With this, Samuel began to sing in a deep voice. "I'm to sexy for my shirt, to sexy for my shirt." he joked, causing Mina to get a smile on her face, with such a wide smirk as well.

Flay then stepped into view of the other three leaving her uniform in the hall. "There you are, Kira!" she said, voice sounding exaggeratedly cheerful. "I've been looking all over for you! Why didn't you tell me you'd come out here?"

Cagalli frowned as the younger girl nattered on, and the expression quickly turned to a glare. _And who do you think _you_ are?_

She finally stood and walked to the hatch. "Excuse me," she muttered. "I wouldn't want to get in your way or anything." she said, only to receive a glare from Flay, almost as though the looks to kill, Cagalli would be gone now. As Ahmed took after the blonde haired girl. Upon leaving, Samuel leaned against the wall, as Cagalli passed him.

"Nice little exchange there Cagalli." Mina spoke, startling the girl.

"Mina, what are you sticking your nose into now?" Cagalli asked her.

"Nothing of much interest." Mina told her with a shrug, as Samuel stepped away, towards Ahmed.

"Is this how they always act?" Ahmed asked him, as Samuel nodded.

"Yeah, and from what I gather, they have been like this, ever since they met." Sam told him. "The two, have been bitter rivals, when one of them got something, the other one, wanted one better." he told him, as Ahmed looked at him oddly. "It's sorta hard to explain, especially, when you don't know it all yourself." he continued.

"Just how long, have they known each other?" he asked, as he could hear the girls, bicker amongst each other.

"Far longer, than you know, or even want to know." Sam told him, as he crossed his arms, while leaning against the wall. "Now, just sit back, and let this end, or else you will get scratched. Because, there is nothing that anyone can do, to break these two up." he commented.

"Well, at least, my dad, didn't go buying me, a ship!" Cagalli said raising her voice.

"Are you saying, mine did, we built it, at our space station. Your father was just to cheap to go like that!" Mina countered.

That was when the battle alert sounded. "All hands to level one Battlestations!" Murrue's voice called out, as Samuel left them, as Kira and Flay returned into the ship. With Kira leaving Flay behind, to join Samuel in the mobile suit hangar.

* * *

Upon arriving in the hangar, Samuel came running out, with Kira not far behind, as both pilots went for there respective machines. "Murdoch, is she able to fight?" Samuel asked, remembering the battle with Allenby, and the constant attacks to the back of his Binsoku pack.

"She will be able to fight, but flying is out of the question." he told the pilot, as Samuel began to rise with the zip line, from the mobile suit.

"Alright, get the Isei, and the Strikes Launcher for me ready." Sam, called down, as he climbed into the machine, as Kira did for the Strike.

"_The Launcher kid?_" Murdoch asked.

"Yeah, I was tinkering with the A-Pack system of the Jade Frame back when I was in the desert, I can put it's and the Strikes onto the machine." Samuel answered him.

"_Are you sure your machine can handle it?_" Murdoch asked.

"To be honest Murdoch, I have no idea, never tried it before.

"_Jade Frame, to Starboard Catapult, Skygrasper one, to the Port!"_ Mir's voice called out, as the two machines went for there locations. Upon, reaching there locations, Skygrasper one was given the Strikes Aile pack, in replace of the regular launcher.

"_Mu la Flaga, taking off!_" The hawk of Endymion called out, as the thrusters of the machine had it take off, now with more mobility thanks to that of the Aile Striker pack. In the Starboard launch bay, the Jade Frame was equipped with both the Striker pack, and that of the Isei pack. Giving it, some major heavy fire power. Two multiphase energy cannons, a anti ship, vulcan gun, and two anti ship missile launcher. Both Missile Launchers now on the hips of the machine, as the Agni cannon was behind its right arm, and Raiden behind its left arm.

"_Samuel, the Captain wishes to know what your plan is to use this armament?_" Mir asked him.

"My plan is that I will act as a turret for both water, and the air, while the Strike snipes out the sea, and Mu takes the air." Samuel told them. "Do you agree with this Kira." Samuel asked.

Kira nodded understanding what Samuel was getting at. '_So, this is the old ZAFT soldier we knew of_' he told himself. "One Question Sam, what am I sniping?" he asked.

"ZAFT's amphibious mobile suits." he told his friend. "Speaking of which, what do we got out there?" he asked.

Sai then replied. "_We have two AMF-101 DINN's on radar, while on Sonar, we have. . ._"

"UMF-4A GOOhNs." Samuel ended for him. "That is what you are sniping Kira." Samuel told him, as the Jade Frame came out of the Catapult, and using what thrusters it had, onto the starboard led, where that of the Gottfrieds would be found. The Strike, on the other hand, stayed on the port Catapult, and got ready with his beam rifle.

* * *

Meanwhile, out of the Archangel's Radar, and the attack ZAFT forces range, a black and white naval vessel went through the ocean. From outside appearance, besides the colors of the ship, it would be the Earth Forces, Tarawa class carrier. An Earth Forces naval fleet flagship. Alone, in the middle of ZAFT territorial waters. On the bridge, was six foot tall person in the middle of the bridge. He had long white hair, down to the middle of his back, behind his closed eyes, were amethyst eyes. Upon both hands, he wore a pair of black gloves, which were crossed, under both of his arms, as he wore a black muscle shirt, and long black jeans. "Commander, the ship you wanted to find, is heading into battle, should we assist?" the person at the enemy electronic detection system informed the guy.

The one in the middle of the room, looked over. "Get the Mobile Armor pilots ready, and that of my machine." he informed him, as he turned to someone in a white uniform. "Captain Bloso!" the guy called.

"Yes Commander Banken?" the man in large black clothing asked.

"You have command of the ship, don't let the Archangel out of your site, and jam all sensor equipment. We don't want our allies to know, what we are about to do." The white haired man told his lower person. "The one I want to fight, is out there, and I don't want any interruptions." Banken told him, as he stared down the taller man.

"Yes, of course sir." the taller man said, as his commander left the bridge. "Activate the Colloid Spreader, I want all Satelite images to be blocked out, for the PLANTs, and that of the Earth Forces!" he ordered.

* * *

Upon the deck, a lift began lifting two large pieces of metal. Both seemed to be laying on the deck, as two pilots climbed into the different machines. With this, two yellow eyes glowed from the sides of the cockpit of the machine. They began to stand, as at there full height, twenty five meters long, from the tip of the "nose" to the tip of the tail. They both had two shoulders, that looked like large shoulder pads of a football player. Upon standing, a mouth of three parts opened and roared, as though the machine was an animal, as it stood on two legs. The two machines, were a mobile armor, known as the YMAA-X2RB Proteus, a mobile armor. "Proteus one heading out." one called, as the one on the left, jumped into the air, as it landed in the water.

The Second Proteus Mobile Armor got ready to jump. "Proteus two, heading out!" it called, as it jumped into the water, after its twin brother. Now, upon the sides of the ship, a hangar door opened, as a mobile suit walked onto the side. The machine stood at sixteen point fifty four meters in height, and seemed to be equipped, with a atmospheric flight pack, hardwired onto it. Two beam sabre handles could be seen from the shoulders of the machine, as a beam rifle and a shield in its hands. The basic frame of it, looks exactly like that of the astray prototypes.

"Your commander here, heading out." and with that, two hidden compartments, along with two others, appear on the shoulders. Both began to spread some kind of particle, as the machine began to turn invisible.

* * *

Archangel:

The Jade Frame took its position, with both the Agni Cannon, and the Raiden Cannon, both ready to be used. "TAKE THIS!" Samuel called, as both cannons fired, missing both DINNs, as the Strike took aim at a GOOhN not far from it.

"Damn, this is not working." Kira commented, as the Strike continued to fire. "Time to change this." he said, as he set the beam rifle away. "Murdoch!" he called.

"_What is it?"_ he replied.

"Did we get a Bazooka with the supplies from the eighth fleet?" Kira asked.

"_Yeah?_" he told him.

"Please get it for me, I'm going under." Kira told him.

"What? kid are you crazy?" he asked.

Then everything change, as on the bridge, instruments began to fail. "Weapon systems acting up!" Chandra called.

"Radar and Sonar offline!" Sai called, as Mir tried to regain contact.

"Kira! Mu! Sam!" Mir called, as Mina who arrived on the bridge earlier, got a worried look on her face, as no one answered. "Communications down!" Mir called.

"Are we flying blind?" Natarle asked.

"Besides what I can see myself, we are." Arnold called out.

"What is going on? Is this ZAFT's doing?" Murrue asked.

"I don't think so, from what I can see, the DINNs are confused as well." Arnold relayed to her.

* * *

Outside, Kira's own instruments were down, external radio, communications, and all but optical sensors were offline. "What is going on here?" he asked himself, as Mu flew by a DINN which both did not fire. As they both were wondering what was going on.

Samuel was wondering also. Missile targeting systems were offline, as well as his communications. "What in the world?" he asked, as from his optical sensors he saw something other than GOOhNs in the water. While the GOOhNs saw them itself. Underwater, the GOOhNs opened fire.

"What the hell are these AHHH!" one pilot yelled, as his cockpit, began to be turned to shreds by machine gun fire along with the pilot as the machine. As the machine exploded underwater, causing the image above land to be seen.

"What the hell?" Sam wondered, as he looked down.

"What happened?" Mu wondered himself, as his Skygrasper flew overhead of the Archangel. As down below, the next machine wasn't so lucky. As behind it, a Mobile Armor struck, ramming into it, onto the ocean bottom.

"What? What the hell are these?" the pilot yelled, as the tail of the mobile armor struck itself right into the cockpit of the ZAFT mobile suit. As it stood over its prey, it yelled out a roar under the water.

* * *

Inside a DINN, an ZAFT commander, stared in horror, as he saw the implosions of his comrades mobile suits under the waves. Seemingly they did not put up much of a fight, to whatever took them. It was ZAFT commander Morassim, who watched them go, as behind him, a beam rifles beam of emerald death shot through the cockpit of the Other DINN. "What?" he asked turning around, only to see a beam sabre ingnite out of nowhere. "WHATTTTT?" he yelled, as the beam sabre emerged from the otherside of the DINN's back. With this, the white machine began to become visible. The beam sabre, was then swung through the rest of the machine, turning what was left of the DINN into scrap metal.

Banken flew there, as he got a look at the three machines in the air. One was the skygrasper, which meant nothing to him, next was the Jade Frame. "The Jade?" Banken asked himself. "So, it wasn't destroyed with the colony." he told himself. Then the next one was his target, the GAT-X105 Strike which was looking to the sky. "Banken to the S. Martin" he radioed.

"What is it commander?" the captain asked.

"Turn off the jammer, I want to talk to this ship, and its people." He ordered, as communications became possible again.

* * *

Archangel Bridge:

"Communications are back online, navigational systems still down!" Chandra informed everyone.

"Well, that is somewhat good news, what do we have out there?" Natarle asked turning to Sai.

"Unknown machine detected, and all ZAFT machines are gone. Two more machines detected in the ocean." Sai informed everyone, as the image was brought up.

"It can't be." Mina said, as everyone else were surprise. The machine in the air, wielding a beam sabre, was a white version of the Jade Frame. "Another one?" she asked, as Murrue turned to her.

"You had no Idea of a fifth Astray Prototype?" Murrue asked, as Mina shook her head.

"No, the only ones I knew of were Gold, Red, Blue, and Jade. I never even seen this one before." she explained, looking at it.

"Crewman Haww, get Sam on the line." Murrue ordered, as Samuel's image came on screen.

"This is rather interesting, I wonder who be piloting that?" Sam wondered out loud, as he came on screen. "Are they Earth Forces?" he asked Murrue, before she could speak.

"We have no Idea, nothing is in the library." Sai answered.

That was when Samuel's image vanished, as someone with a pure white Earth Forces uniform, with gray replacing the blue, of an ordinary uniform. His eyes, were the color of Kira's own, as he stared down upon the Archangel. "So, this is the mighty crew of the Archangel. Interesting." the voice said, sounding almost cold to what was being said. "And if it isn't Rondo Mina Sahaku, what a surprise seeing you way out here." 

Everyone looked at Mina, as he eyes were wide with shock. She knew him, from a while back, when he was introduced to her by her brother. As in the Jade Frame, Samuel was also wide eyed, as he knew this man as well. "Banken, Banken Michaelski!" Mina said, as though she knew exactly who it was.

"Who?" Natarle asked.

"Banken Michaelski, a morgenrete worker, who only followed orders from Rondo Ghina Sahaku himself." Murrue informed the lieutenant.

"Ahh, Murrue Ramius, so you are the acting captain, Sutherland told me as much." he told her. "Before I left the Earth Forces." he told them, as the White Frame raised its rifle.

"Oh now you don't!" Samuel called out as the Jade Frame aimed all its weapons at the White mobile suit, Missiles, and Vulcan guns opening fire, along side the multi colored blast from both the Agni, and the Raiden opened fire.

"Hmm" Banken said, as he brought up his shield, as the live ammo hit it, but the two beams bent around it. "Got to do better then that Jade Frame."

"I intend to Banken." Sam said, as Banken remembered such a voice.

"Ah, I should of known, where ever Rondo Mina Sahaku is, her little lapdog is not far from her." Banken mocked, as the White Frame vanished.

* * *

Bridge:

"The machine, has vanished. It must be equipped with Mirage Colloid!" Sai called.

"Prepare Igelstellungs and Load Missile tubes, with sledge hammer missiles!" Natarle ordered, as she prepared the next set of weapons. "Prepare Valiants, and Gottfrieds!" she called.

"Natarle, are you foolish!" Mina asked, as she looked down into the CIC.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"He just deflected those two Multi phase cannons, there be no way the Gottfrieds can hit it." Mina informed her, as Murrue nodded.

"She's right, keep with live fire. Mirage Colloid and Phase shift armor, can't be active at the same time, with the power sources a mobile suit runs on." Murrue told her.

* * *

Kira then needed to think, as he did. "Mu! I need the Aile pack now!" Kira called, as Mu nodded.

"Alright, coming in, man, I hate being a delivery boy." Mu commented, as the Skygrasper went behind the Archangel.

"So, he comes." Banken told himself, as the White Frame became visible again, right infront of the Skygrasper, and the Strike. "Bring it." he said, as the Strike took flight, with what thrust it cold muster. Within moments, the Skygrasper came to it, deattaching an Anti beam shield, beam rifle, and that of the Aile Striker pack. Within seconds, the Strike was equipped with all three items.

"Just tell me who are you, and what are you doing here?" Kira called out, as the beam rifle fired at the White mobile suit, only to be deflected by the shield.

"Kira Yamato, I knew you were here, infact, your the reason I'm HERE!" Banken yelled, having his White Frame draw a beam sabre, and came right towards the Strike Gundam, which discarded the rifle, and drew his own beam sabre, hitting the thrusters right for the White Frame.

A/N: New OC, new enemy for Kira, just who is this Banken, and why is he so interested in Kira, and what is this, the White Frame can deflect beams, and use Mirage Colloid, just what secrets does this Banken have. Also what are these mobile armors, are they of the Earth Forces, or someone else? Only time to can tell.

Please review.


	17. Chapter 17: The New Battle

Chapter 17: The New Battle

Ruckus began, as the GAT-X105 Strike flew off towards the new enemy, as the Jade Frame could not join the mighty machine, as it stood on the deck of the Archangel. The bridge watched as the fight was about to unfold, as both the White Frame, and that of the Strike Gundam's beam sabres both connected. "What do you mean, what do you mean? I'm the reason you are here?" Kira called out, as the Strike's beam sabre connected to the white frames shield, as the whiteframes own sabre connected to the Strike's shield.

"haha, you don't truly know do you?" Banken asked, as the sabre came at Kira again, only to be blocked.

"Know what?" Kira asked wondering what this guy was telling him. As down below, the Jade Frame was trying to get a good shot aimed at the White Frame.

"Damn, can't get a clear shot!" he called, as he saw a bunch of missiles coming at him. "What?" Sam asked, as he opened fire with his anti ship vulcan gun, at the incoming weapons. Destroying each one, as the optical sensor picked up, the things that fired, as what looked like two, two legged dinosaurs standing infront of him, with rather two arms, having two large shoulders, closing there missile launchers. Each one, just seemed to be looking at the Jade Frame. "What in the world?" he asked.

As in the cockpit of one of these new machines, the pilot began trageting the Jade Frame. "Commander, what do you want done of this machine?" the pilot asked.

"_Ahh, the Jade Frame. . ._" Banken began, as he smirked. "_make it into spare parts._"

"With pleasure." a pilot said, as one of the two legged machines came charging at the Jade Frame, with its mouth wide open. One began chargeing, as another jumped ontop of a Gottfried, and opened fire with missiles towards the Jade Frame. Nearly upon impact, the Jade Frame jumped with the missiles hitting the Archangel. "Damn, the Archangel!" he called.

As up in the air, Kira noticed this to. "Stop it, call your people off!" Kira called, as the beam sabre connected with the other as well.

"Ha! an aquaintance of mine, says I can do what I want, actually two have." He told Kira, as the White Frame backed off, using its speed getting away from the Strike as it replaced the beam sabre, with its beam rifle. "Your the only one, I want alive." he called out, as from what he said, within the mind of Kira, an Amethyst Seed bounced once, and shattered into a supernova, just like it did several times before.

"Then you fall here!" Kira called, as the Strike went towards the White Frame, however a beam of emerald light came at the strike melting a part of the shoulder.

"Haha, Kira, you are not the only one, with the gifts of a bunch of mad men!" Banken called, another Amethyst Seed, spinned in place, as it explodes into a Vertical Nova, as two sets of Amethyst eyes owners began to battle once again with beam sabres again.

Archangel Bridge:

"Damage report!" Murrue ordered.

"Damage minimal, we are lucky the missiles are only Mobile Suit grade damaging." Arnold called out, as he saw the machine on the Gottfried.

"Set Igelstllungs to target those machines." Natarle ordered, as the CIC occupants nodded. "The Jade Frame may have Firepower, but with them to close to the ship, its to dangerous for him, and he has no mobility!" Natarle told them, as Murrue nodded.

"I know." she said as Mina had a worried look on her face, as Cagalli, who came on the bridge not long ago, saw this. She did not like the Sahaku's, but feelings of others, they shared, with that, she took off, for Skygrasper 2, once again. Ahmed not in tow this time, but this time, to help both Kira, and Samuel.

Upon reaching the hangar, Cagalli ran towards Skygrasper 2 "Hey what are you doing?" Murdoch called. "Its still damaged, the Navigational System is still down, even without that thing!" he called.

"Does it matter, the Jade Frame is outnumbered against new enemies!" Cagalli told him, as she closed the canopy of the Skygrasper. Without another word, the Skygrasper took off.

Outside, Samuel dodged another attack from one of the new Mobile Weapon, but was not lucky enough, as another one, slammed its tail into the Jade Frame, knocking it to the ground. "DAMN!" Samuel called, as the thing roared, stepping onto the machine, and opening fire with its underbelly CIW guns. With this, the power of the Phase Shift Armor was lowering. However, unknown to the pilot of the new mobile weapon, one of the Archangel's Igelstellungs targeted it. And opened fire.

"Ahh!' the pilot called, as the machine walked slowly back, still in one peace, as it fell into the ocean. Through reaction, the second one, opened fire on the Igelstellung that took out his comrade.

"ARGHHH!" He yelled, as he opened fire with his other missile tubes on the other weapons. Two of the Igelstellungs retracted before being damage, while one was turned to shrapnel. However, Samuel took, this little distraction, as he took aim, with the Strikes Agni Cannon. The red and white beam fired from the launcher, obliderating half of the machine, as the legs, and tail fell to the ships deck.

"Now, that is over with, what of Banken?" he asked himself, as he looked into the sky, as both the Strike, and the White Frame, had there sabres in a dead lock.

"Kira Yamato, you are like me!" Banken yelled, as the Strikes Beam Sabre hit the shield of the white frame, and the anti beam coating it had, was no more, as the Shield split in two. With that, the White Frame, did the same to the strike, as the anti beam shield was sliced in half. With this, for both machines, they drew their second sabres, ready for combat of double the swords. The four blades connected together causing sparks within the air, as though the two were titans. Then, Sam saw another thing, Skygrasper II was heading right for the two machines.

Kira on the other hand, did not notice, as the four sabres connected again, leaving a gleam of light, coming off the white frames, and strikes faces. "What are you talking about?" Kira asked him, as the two machines, were in a dead even match, of firey blades. "Why are you attacking us, when you are not with ZAFT?" he asked.

Banken smirked, as unknown to Kira, they were getting further, and further away from the Archangel. "Ahh, that is the greatest question for you right now isn't it Yamato?" Banken asked him. "Not knowing your true past, what your life should of been." he called out, as the flash of the sabres movements were unbelievable, as the two bearers of the SEED continued to fight. Until a burst of energy from a direction, as multiple emerald darts darted across the sky, ripping the right forearm of the white frame apart, making it lose the hand. "What?" he said, as without thinking, he placed his remaining beam sabre away, and drew his beam rifle. "Payback time!" He called to it, as the emerald beam emerged from the nozzle of the rifle.

Cagalli, being the one to open fire tried to dodge, but the beam got her skygrasper in the underbelly. "AHH!" she yelled, as Mu came in, opening fire, only to miss the White machine.

"Damn!" he yelled, as he went towards the smoking grasper of skygrasper 2. "Listen little one, return to the Archangel!" he called out, as he banked off.

"Right. And I am not little!" She called, as she noticed, the Archangel was out of sight, and her navigational systems were indeed down.

Banken sneered, as he saw the two machines fly away, to hunt down a sub, and trying to return to its ship. "Now back to business." Banken said to the Strike, as he had his machine flip its beam sabre, so the beam was emerging from the bottom of the hand now.

"Just who or what are you?" Kira asked, as Banken continued to smirk inside his helmet.

"That Kira, is if you, don't know what I am, or what you are, you are of no use to me!" Banken answered the coordinator, as both machines charged at each other. With a massive swing of their beams, damage was done to both, on the fly by. The White Frame, lost its remaining arm, along with its sabre, while the Strike's cockpit was breached, only enough to allow Kira to see the sky without the use of onboard computers. "I see, I under estimated my opponent." Banken admited as the White Frame floated in its position.

While on the Bridge of the Archangel, as the ship went closer to follow the Strikes trajectory, as Mu, failing to find the ZAFT sub, returned to the ship. However, the Jade Frame, now with its phase shift down, to conserve some energy, until they knew the enemy was gone. The machine was to stay out as a turret. Sai, kept an eye on his station, trying desperatly to find the ship, that has been causing so much mayhem. "Mam!" he called to Murrue as she turned to him. "Tarawa-class Carrier detected, Porst side, distance 700!" he called.

"Thats an Earth Forces class of ship!" Natarle informed her, as Murrue very well knew.

"Crewman Buskirk, hail them, send them our IFF code, tell them the Strike and the Archangel are friendlies." Murrue ordered.

"I'm trying captain, but they are not responding." Kuzzey answered her, as he continued. "Attention Tarawa carrier, this is the Archangel, call off your machine, we are with the Atlantic Federation!" he called out desperatly.

"Captain, they are targeting us!" Chandra called out, as Murrue had a look of shock on her face. As it was true, the Tarawa class cruiser, was arming its missiles. With it, the twenty seven missile tubes launched there Missiles, all heading right for the Archangel itself.

"Evade, hard to Starboard!" Murrue ordered.

"Igelstellungs, random FIRE!" Natarle ordered, as the ship began to bank to the right, as Samuel himself saw the missiles incoming.

"Not today!" he told himself, as the eyes of the Jade Frame went to ghostly white, as the Missiles and the Ship Vulcan of the packs the Jade Frame snapped open. As the machine launched a blitzkrieg of firepower, from its Igelstellungs, Missiles, Anti Ship Vulcan, and both the Agni Mutliphase cannon, and the Agni Multiphase cannon. The blasts nullified the missiles, protecting the ship.

Tarawa Class Cruiser:

"Target the main Beam Cannon, to the Archangels lower bow!" Bloso barked, as the dual beam cannon took aim at the Archangel. "FIRE!" he called, as the main cannon spitted a green beam towards the Archangel. However the ship dodged the attack, however inside causing some internal damage with the internal parts of the ship, from falling debris. "Get two of the other mobile armors on deck, get them to act as turrets!" he yelled, as it was done, as the deck split open, revealing two more of the Mobile Armors the Archangel had already defeated. Two Pilots jumped in each, as they activated the machines.

"Pilots are in, waiting for orders!" an officer called.

"Hehe, target the Archangel's port side Valiant, we may have defence against the beams, but Live ammo can still hit." he called out. "Get beside the weapon, and have the Mobile Armors, and cannon open fire on it. !" he ordered.

Archangel Bridge:

"Tarawa closing in, on the port side, they are matching our speed!" Sai called out, as it was true. The ship, was now nearly beside the ship, however the Archangel is at a Higher Altitude.

"Activate Valiant, target point 00.1, target the main hull of the ship." Murrue ordered.

"But Captain, that is an Earth Forces vessel!" Natarle told her.

"Yeah Lieutenant, but so is this ship! They have also attacked first. I have no Idea why, but we can't let them sink the Archangel." Murrue ordered, but as this happened, they made a mistake, as soon as the Valiant was ready to fire, the Tarawa made its move.

Bloso then made his move. "Plasma Cannons and beam Cannon, fire on that gun!" he ordered, as outside, the two Proteus Mobile Armors opened their massive jaws, starting a reaction, as two blasts of Plasma emerged from their mouths, as the Dual beam cannon each hit there mark on the ships cannon. The Valiant Linear gun, was turned to scrap metal, as the beams hit. "The ship may have Laminated Armor, but its weapons do not." Bloso told his men.

"Second in Commander, we are getting word from the Commander Banken!" one soldier called.

"Put him through, as get us on the other side, I want to hit it hard, and make sure we go underneath!" he ordered.

"_Bloso!_" Banken called through the radio.

"Commander, we have the Archangel on the run." Bloso informed him.

"Does it matter, I came for what I wanted, we are retreating." Banken told him, as the White Frame came to the ship, landing in its position on the side hatch.

"But sir!" the officer said, as he then noticed he was right, as the Strike Gundam, now with a beam rifle in hand rather than its sabre was heading for the ship, that was attacking the Archangel. "Alright, Helmsman, sixty degree turn, maximum thrust, I want this ship out of here. Lower the Mobile Armors, to there docking area." Bloso ordered, as the ship began its retreat.

On the Archangel, everyone were surprised to see what was going on.

Then, as the victory seems to of been assured, Mir gave some grave news. "Skygrasper 2, is not on the sensors! And I don't have its signal!" she called.

"Who was flying it?" Murrue asked.

"It was Cagalli." she said, as Mina turned to her, with a stern look, then looked off.

"She always seems to be getting into trouble." Mina commented, as they just looked at her, seeing Mina crack jokes in a time like this. While on the deck, Samuel watched the ship leave.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you off that easy." Sam told himself, as he took aim with the Raiden. "Good-bye" he said pulling the trigger, as the multi colored beam went for his target. However like to the Jade Frame, the beam was redirected when it got close to the ship, right for the sky. "What the?" he asked himself, as the beam flew into the air. "What is Banken up to?" Samuel asked himself.

Tarawa S. Martin:

Banken had returned to the bridge, with somewhat of a sour look upon his face. "Things are getting more and more interesting." Banken commented to Bloso, who looked at his commander with an odd look. "What is the matter Captain, or is it general, I don't know anymore." Banken commented, as he looked over the bridge. "I want all attention on the repairs of the White Frame." he ordered.

"Commander Incoming Banken, from the Pillar." A soldier called.

"Alright, connect it to my quarters, I will take the message there." Banken told them, as he turned. "Bloso, I want to tail that ship, but don't get into their sensor range. I don't want them spooked." he told him, as he left the bridge.

"Man, that guy gives me the creeps." One soldier commented, as Bloso nodded.

"I agree, but you heard him, and we are only doing this for the Preservation of our Pure and blue world." Bloso told them. "So, stay close, but not close enough." Bloso ordered, as everyone nodded.

Banken upon arriving to his quarters, which was just a bed, and a computer by it. He took a seat at the computer, and turned it on, activating the communication. "Sorry for keeping you waiting m'lord." he told the person on the screen. "What are you doing at the space station, rather than Orb?" Banken asked.

"I am at Orb, just sending the signal there, to your location, via satellite." The voice said, as on the screen, the image or Rondo Ghina Sahaku was sitting behind a desk, with both hands below his chin. "I see, that petty fool, is still being fooled by the both of us. Son of Hibiki." Ghina smirked.

"He is too easy, to content on destroying every last one of what we are. He has even given me a few of his Mobile Armors, and this ship." Banken smirked, as he brought up information on the Mobile Armors for Ghina. "Here is the information, for the M1's, that Morgenrete is creating." he informed the other side. "I'm sending there data now." he told him.

"Ahh, the new mobile armors, for the battle against ZAFT, very interesting. I will be sure to upgrade the data on the M1's just incase we need to use them against these things." Ghina commented, as he clicked on his own computer getting such data.

"Oh, I have some more information, about the Earth Forces Archangel." Banken continued intrigueing Ghina. He knew that the ship was based on Orbs Izumo class, but more information, is always intrigueing.

"What is this news?" Lord Sahaku asked.

"Well, it seems your sister is still alive." Banken answered, which made Ghina give a concerned look. "She's not the only one, Samorei, and the machine he built still exists." he added.

"Ahh, so my sister and her main man are still alive. Very interesting." Ghina commented strokeing his chin. "What of your report, of seeing any other Frames?" he asked.

"Oh yes, the Jade Frame still exists, and Samorei is its pilot. Why, are you saying the others still exist as well?" Banken asked.

"Indeed they do. Reports from Azrael is that the emloyed Serpent Tail, and its leader seems to have the blue, while a Junk Guild seems to have the red. The lowly fool damaged my Gold Frame quite a bit, before re-entry." Ghina told Banken, with an annoyed tone in his voice.

"Hm, hm, losing your touch I see." Banken smirked.

"Like you had much better luck, remember, you lost that battle against that Yamato child." Ghina mocked the coordinator, who cringed at the thought.

"It's because that the Earth Forces machines are better than your Astray Prototypes." Banken snapped back, as he lost to one, rather than one of the Astray Prototypes.

"Ahh, you think, I only had trouble because I was handicapped. Besides Sam the pilot of the Jade Frame, has had some experiments done to him, as well. According to our Mutual Friend." Ghina commented.

"So Sam is that guy." Banken said rubbing his chin. "So, like Kira, Canard and I, we are the first of some nasty things." he smirked. "Such a nasty little thing, to be your sisters primary body guard."

"Ahh, and yet, they are both still in the way. Thanks to Sam, Mina has lost sight, of the Sahaku Destiny, to rule the world." Ghina said with a laugh. "So, you have my permission to destroy both of them. Just make sure, that I'm not mentioned about it. I am sure Azrael would agree." With that, the screen went black.

"Indeed he would, but the new alliance will have something else to say about such a thing. Whether you know of it or not Ghina." he said with a smirk, as he went over to the bed, and went to sleep upon it, thinking on how to defeat Kira Yamato.

Samuel, and Kira both lower from their machines, only to hear some grave news, that Skygrasper two has yet to return. "What do you mean Ahmed?" Samuel asked him, as Ahmed stood infront of them, with his hands on his knees breathing heavily.

"Cagalli has yet to return, Natarle is think of listing her as M.I.A." he told them.

"MIA?" Kira asked, having not being in the military, some of this lingo was new to him.

Samuel turned to the young pilot. "M.I.A means, Missing In Action" Samuel told him.

"Hey, I know at least that much, she's missing, so we just go find her." Kira told them, as he began to go back to the Archangel.

"Actually Kid." Mu came over still wearing his purple and black flight suit. "MIA means that our Lieutenant thinks she is already dead." he told him. "As far as I know, after refueling, I am to head out to search." he told him. "After rechargeing your own gear Kira, you are also to head out, till the sun goes down." he added.

"Any orders for me?" Sam asked. With that, Mu just shook his head.

"Sorry kid, all we know is that ship Tarawa class is still out there, and you would be needed if the ship attacks again." He added in, as Sam nodded. "It's also strange." Mu added in. "When that white Mobile suit appeared, actually before it did, I felt as though it was a familiar presence, almost like when Rau Le Creuset is around." he contemplated.

"How is that possible, that was a Earth Forces class ship. And as far as we know, Rau could still be in space." Samuel told him. "Otherwise Yzak would of been out there." he added in almost silently.

"I see, your brother." Mu said putting an arm around the man. "Listen, if we ever meet up with them, we will leave the Duel to you alright. Just try, to do everything you can, to get your kid bro to join us." he told him.

"Join the Alliance Never." Sam said with a stern look. "I might try for Orb, but I will never let him join the alliance." he added.

"What is so bad about the alliance?" Mu asked the teenager. "Besides the pay" he muttered under his breath.

"When ever you finally visit Lodonia, you will understand." he told the older man, as Kira wondered what he meant. "They tried to make me follow the five Ws. Without Will, Without Control, Without Life, Without Feeling, without Respect." he continued to tell them. "This is the reason I will not join the Alliance. Other than the Alliance themselves, the Sahaku's are the only ones that know why. And Mina wont share it unless I allow it. Its a promise she kept me." he told them, as he went to the pilots ready room.

"Ok, what was that about?" Murdoch asked coming over, seeing what his mechanic bud was up to.

"Dunno, something about Lodonia." Mu said rubbing his head. "Ever been there?" he asked.

"No, can't say that I have, I hear its a nice little town. Why?" Murdoch asked him.

"It seems, everything he hates about the Earth Forces is there." Mu told him. "Are the machines ready to go?" he asked.

"The Strike will take a few more hours, do to its breached cockpit, however the Skygrasper is refueled." Murdoch said with a thumbs up. With that, Mu went to the Skygrasper, to being his search, for the missing goddess of victory.

As Mu left, Samuel walked down the hall of the Archangel, swearing under his breath. "Why the hell did I say that places name?" he asked himself, as various flashes went through his head, of various young children, all nude in test tubes. "ARGHHHH!" he yelled going down to his knees, as Flay noticed this, coming from her and Kira's room.

"Samuel!" Flay said running over to him, as he was holding his head. "Sam, what's wrong?" she asked.

"The images, the. . . The Images!" he yelled, as not far down the hall, Mina came out, hearing Sam's voice yelling the way it was. Flay saw his eyes, and they showed fear, not just normal fear, but dreaded fear, like something he would never want to see.

"Samuel!" Mina called, coming towards the two, as she went down to him, to see his eyes clouded with fear as well. "Flay what happened?" Mina asked, as she began to help the quivering Samuel, as throughout his mind, young kids were in test tubes, and gunfire being heard.

"He was like this when I heard him talking to himself, something about some place, then he started mentioning tubes." Flay told her, as the two girls got Sam to his and Mina's room.

"Please, stop, stop it!" he yelled, as his eyes began to go from there usual blue, to wide eyed, almost like he was in Seed, but the sides of his eyes, began to form crows feat, that of what elder people get around their eyes. Down in the hangar, a Mechanic worked near the head of the Jade Frame, as he looked once the eyes were gold, but all of a sudden, they went white. Back with the others, Samuel's veins seemed to be pulsating. "Please, Please!" he cried, as Mina placed a hand on his head, causing him to look at her. As the yelling began to slow down, as the body began to calm.

"Take it easy Sam." Mina said in nearly a whisper. As thought it was almost calming the young man, as he gripped the bed sheets of the bed he was in. Veins popped out to be visible in his hands, as he tried to subdue the pain.

"What is going on?" Flay asked the Orb noble.

"This has been happening for years now, or so he says." Mina began. "Ever since he was young, he has had these spasms, only those voices that are familiar to him, will calm him." she told her. "However, this only happens, when he thinks of that place, the place, where it all began for him." she told her.

"Where is that?" Flay asked. "And who did this to him?" she asked again.

Mina looked grim, as she remembered exactly who her brother has talked to several times, and was the one who convinced her brother to make the machines. "Lodonia, and the ones who did this, are the Naturals who say for the Preservation of our pure and blue world." she told the read headed maiden.

"You don't mean?" she asked.

"Yeah, Blue Cosmos, did this to him, years ago." she continued. "Other than this, I have no Idea what goes on within him." She said, as the body calmed down, with Sam, fast asleep.

"You really care about him don't you?" Flay asked.

"Yeah, as you may know, he first thought I was an angel. Me. . . an angel!" Mina told her, as she leaned back, seeing that Same was now asleep. "After that, I got to know the real him, his kindness, his attitude, everything, and I grown to like him for it. Especially as he treats me like a normal human being, rather than a noble." she continued. "He was the first, and he taught me, to stop following the family." she continued on and on for her.

Sam layed, as he slept, his dreams continued for hours, in an endless loop, he saw flashes of things going on, and he could hear crying, his own crying, as though he was watching what was going on. With this his eyes snapped open, to see the ceiling above him. With this, he sat up slowly, seeing his surroundings, as over in the other bed, Mina layed sleeping. "How long have I been out, and how much did I say?" he asked, as he looked at his hands. Both wet from sweat, from his actions earlier that day. He moved to the side of the bed, and went over to the onboard computer, as he inserted a disc. Upon opening the proper files, the Jade Frame, and all its technology came up.

Do to being the one who designed the machine, he had access to such data, even that of data of things lost at Heliopolis. With this, he began typeing furiously, a trait he had long not used since he worked alone last. He looked upon one pack, that was destroyed. The Raikou pack, something that was to be the strongest of his. "Banken, just what exactly are your intentions?" Sam asked himself, as he continued to look at the specs of the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame. "Just what exactly is he here for Kira?" he continued to ask these questions, as Lady Sahaku began to stir behind him, from her bunk.

"Samuel, you are awake?" Mina asked, as Sam just nodded, as he turned around to see her whipping the sleep out of her eyes. "What are you up to?" she asked walking over, in a black tank top, and long purple pants, as she came to him.

"Just something that was lost back on Heliopolis." Samuel told her, as the screen was continueing to change, from one thing to another, as Sam continued to change certain patterns to the program, and blueprints on the screen.

"What sort of things are you doing on here?" she asked, seeing what he was doing, and catching various things. Electromagnetic cannon was the main glimpse of what she got, from the speed of the screen changes.

"A replacement for the Binsoku pack, exactly what this was intended for." Sam answered, as he noticed her, kneel down to his level.

"A replacement?" Mina asked, as she saw what he meant, as the next A-Pack of the Jade Frame was finished on the screen. The Jade Frame was on the screen, with a pitch black pack, that seemed to be like that of the Binsoku pack. "The Raikou Pack, so this is it." she said as he continued to work on it.

"Yeah, it is suppose to be stronger than any other pack I created." he explained. "I've also designed something of the same line for the Strike, but the Strike has insufficient energy." he continued, as at that moment, the Strike continued on its path in the water, after being fully repaired, as the sky began to darken.

As out in the middle of nowhere Earlier that day, a lone crashed skygrasper's canopy opened, as Cagalli came out, to find that her machine was halfway in the water. "This isn't good."

A/N: Banken's first battle, left both the Strike and WHite Frame damaged. And a Tarawa Carrier was able to fight the Archangel? Along with these new mobile Armors, just what exactly is going on now, and was it just me thinking it, or did Ghina Sahaku give permission for Banken to kill Mina. This may lead to some bad things in the future. Please Review.


	18. Chapter 18: A War of the Seas

Chapter 18: A War of the Seas

* * *

Spain ZAFT controlled Base:

A short while earlier, two pods from Lauraisia class space frigates dropped, contained both the Aegis Gundam, and the Blitz Gundam, having both Nicol, and Athrun arrive. As they walked towards the main building of the base, Yzak Joule looked from the window. Thinking, as he felt the scar upon his face, "Samorei, just what are you thinking, you killed an old friend of yours, and for what?" Yzak asked himself, as his best friend Dearka came walking in.

"Yzak! The meeting is starting." Dearka informed his comrade, as Yzak pretty much ignored the Buster pilot. "Yzak?" he asked.

"Oh, Dearka, didn't notice you." he commented.

"What is it, thinking of your brother?" Dearka asked the silver haired pilot.

"Yeah, just wondering, just what is going on with him, and why he is working for the Earth Forces?" Yzak answered him, as Dearka just gave him a shrug.

"Maybe there is some cute Natural Females onboard." he told his friend, which gave him a strange look from Yzak.

"I don't know about that Dearka," Yzak said with a laugh. "However, it is possible."

_"Who, why do you wish to protect, makes you end up with the people you hate so much?" she called out, as the BuCUE fired another blast. With uncanny moves, the Jade Frame deflected the beams with both sabres. She never saw such abilities, of a mobile suit, especially in atmosphere. That was when she saw it, the Jade Frames eyes, that were once golden, now glowed a ghostly white._

_"Because she Saved my Life!" Sam called._

Yzak was listening into the conversation between his brother and Allenby in that final battle. "It is possible, because he is protecting that ship, because of some woman." he smirked, as he began to go and walk by Dearka. "Well, are you coming the briefing from Commander Creuset will soon begin." he told his friend, who just seemed clueless, with the change in Yzak's attitude.

* * *

Archangel Mina's x Sam's quarters

A knock came on the door, as Sam looked over, and closed down the program his Jade Frame Raikou. He then nodded to Mina, as she turned to the door. "You may enter." she called, as the door slid open, as both of Cagalli's body guards entered. Ahemed, looking nervous, as Kisaka was surprised, that Mina was out of Noble garments, unlike her to be most. While Sam was still wearing his clothing from the day before. "Kisaka, Ahmed, what seems to be the problem?" Mina asked, as she sat on her bed, offering them a seat on Sams. Which seemed odd, as the woman was completely comfortable with what she was wearing infront of them.

Kisaka payed no heed, as Ahmed noticed the Orb Noble was more attractive without those robes. "Uhh, uhh. . ." Ahmed tried to speak, as Mina noticed he was staring at her and nodded to Samuel, who smaked the younger teen in the back of the head.

"You can stop staring at her now." Sam scorned the teen, as he looked away.

"I. . . I'm sorry Lady Sahaku." he told her, as he knew she was a Orb Noble, he referred to her as her title.

"It is quite alright Ahmed. Now tell me, you two, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Mina asked.

"It seems that the Search for Cagalli, has not been going to well." Kisaka told her, as Mina nodded, despite her rivalry with the daughter of Uzumi Nara Athha, she did not wish death on the girl.

"That Natarle woman, is even thinking of listing her as Missing in Action." Ahmed told them, in a worried voice, which gave some concern of a look from Sam. Mina looked at him as well, but this was a time, no one knew what to do.

"I hope she is alright." Sam muttered as the other three looked at him. "What you don't realize that she is in the middle of ZAFT territory, and that she was flying a Earth Forces Skygrasper?" he asked them, a bit surprised, as Mina nodded, actually notifying to herself that such at thing could happen. Cagalli was missing, and the remaining mobile unit compliment that can fly, are trying to find her.

* * *

Spain, ZAFT base: One day ago

Speaking of mobile units, several transport planes were loading up very special cargo, that of the four stolen G-Weapons. Three of them were already prepped for launch, and each of these contained the GAT-X102 Duel, 103 Buster, and the 207 Blitz, with each plane the respective pilots of the coorisponding mobile suits were in their planes. However the plane containing that of the X303 Aegis, was to be delayed do to technical problems. Yzak looked out of the viewport window, seeing Athrun at the viewing window from a near by building, as both his, and Dearka's transport planes begin to take off. "So, off to Carpentaria now." Yzak commented to himself. As one of the four members, of the Zala team now. A team created not long ago, as now they head to Carpentaria to be assigned a Vosgulov Submarine carrier, to take charge in the attack of the Archangel.

_"Sorry for having you wait Mr. Joule, your mother is being connected now._" The woman secretary told him, from Martius One's colony.

"Alright thanks, put her on now." Yzak said to the computer screen beside him. With that, the blue haired female secretary's screen changed to that, of a litten office, as Yzak's mother appeared, with her usual silver haired hair style, with her blue eyes looking through the camera. "Hello mother." Yzak said in a monotone voice.

"_Yzak, its good to hear from you, I was worried when I heard the Duel fell to the Planets surface._" Ezalia returned the same tone of voice to Yzak, with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Yeah, and it seems Samorei survived as well." Yzak told her.

"_Yes, Sam_." she continued lookin saddened. "_Have you found out why he joined the Earth Alliance?_" she asked him.

Yzak thought on this, from the various battles he has had, against his older brother. "Every time I asked him, his answer has been, he has been protecting someone close to him." he answered, as he continued to wonder, who this person was.

"_So, he has fallen for a natural, why is it I find that hard to believe?_" Ezalia commented, as she herself was troubled of what has made her eldest child fall to work for the Legged ship.

"Does it matter now, I will kill him for betraying the homeland." Yzak told her, which earned him a look of surprise from his mother.

"_Yzak, my child, don't be so harsh on your brother, try to bring him in, so he can answer for what he has been doing, and for why he has been killing his own comrades." _she told him, as he nodded.

"I will try mother." he told her.

That was when a second voice was heard on Ezalia's side. "_Mam, the head engineers are here, they would like to speak to you about the engineering of the new mobile suits." _a voice of the secretary called, as this got yzak interested.

"New mobile suits?" he asked.

"_Yes Yzak, the New ZGMF models are being done, and we are designing the basic looks of the machines, for space movements_." Ezalia answered him. "_I'm sorry dear, but I have to go with this meeting_." she told him, as her screen went black, as Yzak rolled his eyes, as he relaxed, for the flight, to Carpentaria.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Spain, Athrun's plane finally got ready for take off, as he boarded the transport. "Sorry Commander Zala, for the delay." a pilot told the blue haired pilot, as he took a seat.

"It's perfectly alright." he answered the pilot, as he took a seat, in beside the window. With this, the plane began to take off, heading into the air, for Austrailia, where the base layed, in the Carpentaria Gulf. Upon a while, as at this time, the Archangel was in battle against Banken's Tarawa class cruiser. As during this confortable little flight for Athrun, the hot headed Cagalli, searching for the Archangel, just so happend caught sight, of the transport, our blue haired pilot was a passenger.

Skygrasper II: After being shot up, by a beam rifle from the white frame moments earlier, Cagalli, was searching for the Archangel, to return to base, but what she found, was the ZAFT transport plane. "What, a ZAFT plane?" she said, as she sent the skygrasper towards the plane.

Transport Plane Cockpit:

"Isn't that an Earth Forces plane?" one of the pilots asked, as he saw it coming towards the plane.

"Why would it be out here, there are no Earth Forces carriers around?" the other pilot asked, as they saw it, the plane began to open fire on the plane, as it was hit, in the wing, and opened fire with what weapons it had.

"What's going on?" Athrun asked.

"We are being attacked by Earth Forces." the first pilot told him.

"You should get to your mobile suit!" the second one ordered, or rather told him.

"What about you two?" Athrun asked them with concern.

"We will be alright, but the major concern, is you and your machine." The first pilot told Athrun, as he nodded, heading towards the cargo hold, where the Aegis Gundam waited.

As Cagalli's skygrasper, was hit, she began to lose control. "Shit!" she yelled, as the machine began to lose altitude, heading towards the ocean below. Within moments, the skygrasper crashed into the water, as the Transport plane, let its cargo go, as Athrun, and the Aegis descended to a Island below.

Later, after regaining conscious, Cagalli, looked around, to see that she was on a beach of an island, as her skygrasper was surrounded by water. "Uhh, where am I?" Cagalli asked herself, as she surveyed the surroundings. Cliffs surrounded her, as a beach could be seen infront of the Skygrasper, with a treeline, ending where the beaches sands begin. Within moments, she began to get her distress beacon going. Even though it only has limited ranged do to the Neutron Jammers, within the crust of the Earth's surface. "Just got to hope the Archangel, can pick this up." she said, as she popped open that canopy of the Skygraspers cockpit. And then, opening, the supplie kit, to leave and explore her surroundings.

She climbed into the water, which was neck deep from where she was, and she accidently dropped her gear. "No, Damn it!" she called out, watching the bag of food, and water drift into the ocean. "Damn," she said, as she went to the beach. Upon drying out the firearm she carried, ash began to explore the island. For a few hours, she explored much of the Island, until she saw something, that she wished she did not. One of the two G-weapons, she saw with Kira, back at Heliopolis, the GAT-X303 Aegis. Upon, reflex, she drew her firearm, and began to sneak towards the mobile suit, to catch the pilot by surprise.

As at that time, Athrun, was lowering down, on the zipline from the mobile suits cockpit. "Just what exactly was a earth forces plane doing way out here?" he asked himself. He then swung his gear pack over his shoulder, as he began to walk the beach. That was when he heard a branch snap. Which was Cagalli, seeing the ZAFT top pilots uniform on the soldier, and raised her gun at him.

"Stop right there!" she called, as the gun opened fire, as Athrun turned, having his right shoulder to be hit, ripping his flight suit. With a grunt, he jumped away, and and ran, so he could go into hiding, with several shots hitting the sand behind him. He ran so he could gather what was up for this situation as he realized he lost his own firearm, and his equipment. The only thing he had left, was a ZAFT issued switchblade.

Cagalli, on the other hand, slid down the hill, to where Athrun's dropped equipment layed, within the tanned sand of the beach. "A ZAFT soldier, what would one be doing way out here?" she asked herself, as she never actually saw the Aegis come out of that plane she shot at. Then she realized it, "Could I have shot him down?" she asked herself, as she took the spare firearm, and began to go on the hunt, of this ZAFT soldier. That was when she saw him, and began to shoot franticly at the coming soldier.

Cagalli, could not believe his speed, as he zigzagged around the bullets. Much like the Strike did to Miguel at Heliopolis before disabling that GINN, this time, in life size movements. Before Cagalli knew it, the ZAFT soldier was upon her knocking her gun out of her hand, with a martial arts kick, and then flipping her onto her back, as he got ontop of her, holding the color of her green vest in his left hand, with a knife ready to go in for the kill. That was when, Cagalli let out a defining scream, causing Athrun to stop. "Your a girl?" he asked, as she looked at him.

"What the hell did you think I was?" she asked him, as he got off of her, and tied her up. Nightfall began to fall upon them, as the son began to go down, to light the other side of the Planet. As it did, Athrun threw Cagalli's Firearm into the ocean, so it would not be used against him, if she got free.

"So, what is a Earth Forces soldier doing way out here?" Athrun asked the blonde woman, who was laying on the ground tied up, not far from him.

"I am not a soldier!" she told him, as she did what little movements she could do, over towards them, to the mouth of the cave they were in, as he looked off into the ocean. "Tell me, are you one of the ZAFT soldiers that attacked Heliopolis?" she asked him. Athrun looked at her surprised, as she told him, why she did ask. "I was there, when ZAFT attacked." she continued. "I see." Athrun told her, as he went to the Aegis, to try ta Establish contact with ZAFT forces.

* * *

Archangel:

Kira, was in the cockpit of the Strike, as he was getting ready, to head out using the Aile pack, to search for Cagalli. "_Remember Kira, there is only two hours of daylight left, please be back by then."_ Mir told him as he nodded.

"Right, two hours." Kira repeated, as he launched from the Catapult, using the Strike to go underwater, and begin searching in that manor.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Carpentaria, the other three Transport Planes, arrived safely. Yzak, walked the halls, heading to a waiting room, with orders, of their dearly missing commander. He entered the pilots lounge where his two comrades were, as he entered, the both of them looked at the incoming figure. "Well well, it seems that our mighty commander seems to have had his transport shot down." Yzak mocked, with a smirk. "And for our first mission we are to search for this mighty commander of ours." Yzak smirked.

Dearka laughed at the events, of this. "This is rich, our first mission, and we have to find our commander." he joked, as Nicol, looked out the window.

"I hope he is alright though." Nicol spoke, as Yzak just looked at him.

"Trust me Nicol, I may not like him, but he would not be put down by a Earth Forces, aircraft." Yzak told him. "Besides, its getting late, we will start our search for the commander in the morning." Yzak told them, as he left.

"Don't worry Nic, we will find him. And besides, it is Athrun we are talking about." he told him.

* * *

Marshall Island's Deserted Island

Cagalli, still tied up, sat at the mouth of the cave, when she finally decided to start crawling to see what Athrun was up to. Upon reaching the top of a hill, a bolt of lightning struck the sea nearby scaring her, and having her roll down the hill. With that, she fell into some water. "Oh, this is just wonderful." she said, as the waves of the incoming tide began to wash up on her. "Damn, what else could go wrong?" she called out, as the rain began to fall. "Oh great, I had to ask." as Athrun was in the Aegis, having the great machine raise its arm firing two radar buoys, as he tried to establish a distress call, but thanks to the Neutron Jammers, they were messing with it, like that of the Skygraspers, to a limited area. As he noticed Cagalli's situation, he moved the Aegis Left arm, over Cagalli, to provide cover with the shield.

"You do realize, you are limited with your movements." Athrun told her, coming down, and over to wear she layed, just watching the water wash over her.

"Will you just shut up and help me!" she told him, as he went down, and helped her up, as he went behind her, brining out his knife. With that, he cut the ropes that were binding her hands. "Your letting me free?" she asked.

He bent down, to cut the rope around her ankles. "You don't have any weapons, so I am not really that worried." he told her. He then looked up, as she started to brush at her hair, having a crab fall out, as he started to laugh.

"What?" she asked, as he took note of something moving in her clothing.

"You seem to have one more hitchhiker." Athrun told her, pointing in an area of her as she felt the crab crawling within, lifting her shirt, to shake the little hitch hiker out.

Out in the middle of the ocean, before the night engulfed the sky, the Strike's head emerged from the sea, as its pilot wondered in his head. He remembered, that Ahmed has been very worried, "Cagalli, where are you?" Kira asked no one in particular.

"_Kira, the two hours are up, come back to the Archangel._" Murrue told him, as Kira nodded, giving up his search for the night, to start it in the morning.

* * *

On the Archangel, Samuel and Mina watch the sunset from the Aft deck. "Peaceful." Mina told him, watching the sun rays upon the water.

Samuel nodded, as he leaned on the railing with his arms. "Yes, very, if only the war was not going on, and we could be doing this back at Orb." Sam told her, as she nodded in agreement. "I wonder how that nation is doing, did Savir and the others make it back, and gave what info the Jade Frame has for the M1 project?" he wondered.

Mina turned around, to look upon the ship, that Morgenrete help create. "I could not tell you." Mina answered, as her red eyes focused, on the area where the bridge of the ship was located. "All I know is that the Jade Frame will be leaving, when we get around Orb." she told him.

"Yeah, I guess you are right. We wont be able to tell, until we reach Orb." he added in.

"I hope the people of Orb, are doing alright, with this war going on, we can never tell when Orb will get caught up, in the crossfire." Mina added in.

Sam then looked at her. "It already has, with both Cagalli Yula Athha, and yourself out here." he laughed at that a bit, as Mina just looked to the sky.

She smiled. "I may be one of the rulers, but a nation belongs to its people, not its ruler." She told him, as he nodded.

"True enough, the PLANTs go by that the same way, until this war began." Samuel commented, as Mina wondered what he meant.

"What do you mean Samuel?" she asked, as he just shrugged.

"Ever since that terroist attack on the shuttle at Copernicus, ZAFT began to take over, and now, I wonder who is really in control up there? The PLANTs or ZAFT?" he asked her.

"Well, since you are no longer of ZAFT." Mina said as she placed an arm around his shoulder. "You shouldn't worry to much about it, until something happens." she told him. "You should focus in on the here and the now."

"And you." he told her as he grabbed her by the waist and kissed her, as the two were in a private area this time, and also under the setting sun. She did not fight back, putting her own arms over his shoulders.

* * *

Unknown to them, Tolle, Mir, and Kuzzey along of all people Ahmed, were hiding at the open hatch, spying on the two. "See, I told the two of them were together." Mir told the three guys, as Tolle and Kuzzey sighed.

With that, the both of them gave Mir some money, "Guess you win then." Kuzzey said, as Ahmed just let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that is one guy, I don't have to worry about stealing Cagalli's heart." Ahmed said, as he looked upon his hand, where the green shard of Malachite in his hand, tied with a string. However, unknown to him, Mir was nearly in his face. "WHAT!" he said, falling backwards, having the trinket fly into the air. Mir caught it, as Ahmed rubbed the back of his head, upon bumping it on the ground.

"Hey, that looks really cool." Tolle said, pointing to the necklace with the trinket in Mir's hand.

"Hey give that back!" Ahmed said, with a grab as he got it. "You have no Idea, what this thing means." he told them.

"Hey take it easy." Kuzzey said, as he seemed to be worried. "If you make to much noise, Lady Sahaku, and Samuel will hear us." he said worried.

"Oh right, so that is for Cagalli right?" Mir asked, as she looked at the trinket in Ahmed's hands. He nodded, "I didn't know you had a crush on her, besides that is beautiful." she told him, as Ahmed appreciated it, from her. She is a girl after all, and glad that even she liked it.

"Thanks, this was my mothers, before we left." he told her. "Dad gave it to mom, now its my turn to give it to someone I care deeply about." he said, as Tolle rolled his eyes.

"It looks like something a person could sell." Tolle commented.

"Tolle." Mir almost yelled, as she turned arond to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the middle of the Marshall Islands.

Cagalli, sat infront of a fire, with a blanket around her, as her clothes dry, over the fire infront of her. As at the mouth of the cave, Athrun enters with a cofee cup, along with some Rations in his other hand. "Here." he said, throwing her, one of the bags. "We are going to have to camp out tonight." he told her. As she just looked at the rations. "Radio Interference is to much for me to get word out, so there wont be any rescue today."

"It would of helped if ZAFT didn't send all those N-Jammers here to Earth." Cagalli, told him, as he shook his head.

"Its not really our fault." he told her, as she looked upon him, wondering what he meant. "The Alliance started the war, with their Nuclear attack. We could not just sit there, letting nukes hit us one after another." Athrun whispered, as he turned to her. "Eat, the Rations may be made by ZAFT, but they are still rations." he told her, as Cagalli, ripped the bag, and began to eat, the rations within.

Athrun stretched indicating that he was getting sore, and tired. "Are you going to tie me up again?" she asked, earning a look from him. "I could take your gun, and make you the laughing stock of ZAFT." she told him with a smirk.

With that, Athrun laughed at such a comment. "You never give up do you?" he asked her. "If you try to take my gun, I will kill you." he told her, with a stare. "Now we wouldn't want that now would we?" he asked her, as he took another bite of his ration. "You know, the Heliopolis incident was not truly expected." Athrun told her, which got Cagalli's attention. "The only thing we wanted from there, were the Earth Forces mobile suits." Athrun told her.

"Yet, it was still ZAFT that destroyed that Colony, it was Neutral!" she told him.

"It was the Earth Forces, and Orb that made it a target by building those things! Orb helped the Earth Alliance, despite their suposed Neutrality!" Athrun told her raising his voice. "We are only wanting to protect the PLANTs" he told her calmly.

Cagalli, curled her legs up to her chest. "I'm only fighting because ZAFT invaded the Earth Sphere." Cagalli told him.

"We only wanted those machines, but its the Earth Forces that are making, neutral territories into targets not us!" he continued on to tell her. "Just like my mother was a victim of such an act." he silently added.

"Your mother?" Cagalli asked.

"Yeah, she died, when the Earth Forces attack Junius Seven, and it was just a farming Colony!" he said, with anger, showing Cagalli, the reason why this person was fighting. Vengence, for the lost of that colony, and that of his own mother. "It was just a farming colony, and its people, my mother, all died in a blink of an eye. And we even though one of the committee's sons were lost in the blast." he told her.

"Committee's son?" Cagalli asked.

"Yeah, a comrades of mine older brother. Samorei Joule." he told her. "But it seems he survived somehow."

Cagalli, started to think on this. 'Samorei, isn't that what that guy on the archangel's nickname?' she asked herself. "If he survived, where is he now?" she asked him.

Athrun smirked. "The fool, is working for the Earth Forces, and he is flying off the legged ship." he told her. "He pilots that Jade Mobile suit." he told her.

That was when Cagalli was hit with it. Everything she knew of Rondo Mina Sahaku's body guard was a lie. He was no Earth Forces soldier, he was not even a Natural. He was someone that came from the PLANTs, a coordinator even though she knew most of this, but Athrun, has just confirmed everything that Waltfeld said. She could tell that from this guy. That he was no liar, that everything he spoke was the truth.

"He keeps on telling Yzak, that he is protecting someone on the legged ship. That is why he is fighitng." Athrun told her, as Cagalli, knew who he meant.

"I believe he is protecting someone." Cagalli told him, causing a surprise from Athrun. "Onboard that ship, is a Noble of Orb, the very person that found him, after his machine crashed down on Earth." she continued. "She was the first person he saw, when he awakened, and well he swore to protect her." he continued. "Samue. . . I mean Samorei, is protecting the Nation of Orbs noble. The Daughter of the Sahaku family, Rondo Mina Sahaku." she told him.

"An Orb Noble, now that would explain a lot of things he says." Athrun contemplated, as he went over to the other side of the cave and layed down.

"Just what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm going to bed." he told her.

"And leave your prisoner unguarded?" she asked him.

"I've been up since I re entered Earth's atmosphere, I believe I should finally get some sleep." he told her lying down, ready for sleep.

* * *

Back at the Archangel, Mu La Flaga and Murdoch were both holding Kira away from the Strike. "No, I should go find her!" Kira yelled, as Samuel came in, with his jade helmet under his arm.

"Kira don't worry about her." Samuel told them, as he went over to the Jade Frame. "Cagalli, has some secrets that are even weirder than my own." he told them, having Kira just look up to where Sam was, wondering what he meant by that. "She has had military training, and that includes nature survival!" Sam called down, as the cockpit of the Jade Frame closed. With that, the Jade Frame went to the Port Catapult, so it could use the Strikes Aile pack.

"_Samuel, your clear for launch._" Mir radioed to him, as the Jade Frame had connected to the mobile suit.

"Alright Mir, I will be back in a few hours." Sam told them, as he got the all clear. "Samuel, heading out!" he called, as the Jade Frame went out into the night sky.

* * *

While not far, and out of the Archangel's range. The lone Tarawa class ship, noticed the launch of the Jade Frame. "Commander Banken!" a soldier called. With that, the white haired Banken looked over to him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The Jade Frame has just launch, and there are no enemies in the area." The soldier told him.

"Alright, keep an eye on the Archangel, I feel like checking out the what the first of their kind, can do." Banken said, as he left the bridge, towards the mobile weapon hangar.

* * *

Back on the Deserted Island, Athrun layed asleep, as Cagalli, watched, along with the gun on his side, in its holster. She walked over, to him, and stood over, contemplating, on what she should do, take his gun, and the Aegis. That was when he began to stir, and Cagalli noticed, this as she threw the blanket that was around her, and tossing it, onto Athrun, while grabbing his gun. With a leap, she jumped back, and set the gun ready to fire. However, with reaction, his blade was already in his hand. "What are you planning?" Athrun asked, as he stared at the gun in her hand, and the muscles around it.

"I don't want to shoot, you, and I sure don't want you to use that machine to hurt any more innocent people." Cagalli told him, having him, in her sights, with her gun.

"Well then, you better shoot me, otherwise, I will kill you." Athrun camly told her, as he held his knife. "I wont let you take my machine." Athrun told her, as the two stood there, or sat to a stand still. The two, staired at each other, then Athrun leapt at her, as at the same time, Cagalli threw her gun, away, as Athrun came at her. However, for the gun, upon landing, it went off, with a bang, with the bullet, grazeing the same wound, Athrun got earlier that day. Silence filled the cave for a few minutes, as Cagalli, saw the bleeding arm of Athruns.

"That looks really bad, let me help you." she told him, as he did not let her help. "I want to help, I don't want to be in some ZAFT soldiers Debt." she told him.

"Then help in a different way." he told her, as she looked at him confused. "Your clothes. . . should be dry right now." he told her, as she looked down, to see the green underwear she had, as she covered herself up, with the First aid bag, she had gotten earlier.

* * *

Back in the middle of the Ocean, Samuel, flew in the Aile Jade Frame, as it continued, to scan for Cagalli's downed grasper. "Just where is the Orb Princess?" Sam asked himself. As the machinary in his mobile suit hummed. That was when he saw it, something moving, a distortion in the air, and as Sam worked on the G-Weapons, and knew that kind of distortion only meant one thing. "Mirage Colloid, who followed me?" Sam wondered, as he stopped in mid air. He changed the frequency of his radio. "Attention mobile weapon, this is the MBF-P04 Jade Frame Identify yourself!" Samuel ordered, as he then saw the distortion again.

"_Hmhmhmhmhmm, its been along time, Samuel Lewis. Or are you going by Samorei Joule again?_" The familiar voice asked.

"Well, well, Banken, how long has it been, since we saw each other face to face?" Sam asked, as the White Frame, from the other day appeared, fully repaired, from the last days battle.

The White Frame, had no motion, besides placing its beam rifle on the right hip of the machine. "Ever since Morgenrete, about two weeks, before the ZAFT attack." Banken said, as the two machines, were now unarmed, with their beam rifles now on the hips of their machines. "I have been wondering a lot recently." Banken smirked, in his mobile suit, wearing his white flight suit.

"About what?" Sam asked, as he kept his machines sensors on that one machine, while using what was left of them, to figure out, if his ship was in the area.

Banken continued to smirk, as he grabbed a beam sabre, from from its left shoulder. "I want to see how good your machine is!" he called, as the thrusters of the white frame ignighted, with a frozen pillar of fire, in its hand. "Now, show me what you got!" he yelled, as the Jade Frame drew a beam sabre from the Aile pack, unusual for the machine, but began to use, the Strikes Weaponry. With that, the two frozen pillars of fire, connected with each other. The two mighty machines, were in a stale mate, of pure strength against each others beam sabres. "I see, your machine is equal in strength, as mine." Banken smirked, as the two machines were facing off.

Samuel sneered, as the sabres were locked, in a pure physical showdown. "Banken, you know what?" he asked, his opponent, causing a raised eyebrow. That was when his viewing sensors, showed him, that the Jade Frame's eyes were ghostly white, as Sam's were nearly like that of the SeeDs, with crows feet, on the sides. That was when the White Frame began to lose in the battle of strength.

"What? What is this, is this truly the power the Earth Alliance has?" Banken called out, almost as though it was Fear in his voice. '_Damn you Ghina, you never said, how strong this guy really is!_' Banken told himself in his mind, as he moved out of the way, before the Jade Frames sabre, could cut him in half. With that, the Jade frame threw away its anti beam shield, and drew a second sabre, this time, from the opposite Arms Forearm. With that, the hand of the machine, flipped the sabre upside down, to be used like that of the Strikes combat knives.

"Bring it Banken." Samuel said, as the Jade Frame came chargeing, with beam sabres in hand, doing various swipes, each with Banken barely getting by.

Banken, though was through playing around, as within his mind, a Amethyst SeeD, spun in place, as it shattered into a Nova. "You are going down!" he called, as the White Frame, threw its shield at the Jade, however, the shield only ended up, being sliced in half by the Jade Frame. "No you don't!" Banken called, as both of the Jade Frames Beam sabres came at him, to be blocked by the single sabre of the White Frame.

Samuel, then had the Jade Frame, take its knee, and smash it into the cockpit area of the white frame. "Banken, you are to full of yourself. I know you are a coordinator, first Generation, but that means nothing!" Sam told him, as the Jade Frame, then finally sliced off the head of the White Frame.

Banken, was taken aback, as the Jade Frame did such a thing to him. "How dare, you do something like that to me, I am beyond that of a ordinary Coordinator!" He called out, coming with his beam sabre down on the Jade Frame. Which dodged his attack. "I am the one, who will lead this world to a glorious future, for Coordinators!" Banken told him. "However, I will kill those who get in my way!" he called out, as the White Frame used its speed, slicing away the remaining beam sabre on the left forearm. "I will kill all who get in my way, even those wenches, Lacus Clyne, and that new one of yours, Rondo Mina Sahaku!" Banken yelled, as Samuel blocked the beam sabre.

"No one, and I mean NO ONE THREATENS HER!" Samuel yelled, as with one sabre, knocked Banken's out of the White Frames hand, having fall to the ocean below. With that, the Jade Frame sliced off both of the White Frames hands, in one swift movement.

"Wa, so this is truly your strength!" Banken said, as both of the Jade Frames Beam Sabres went on both sides of the cockpit of the White Frame.

"Leave, Mina out of our battles, for now on Banken." Samuel told him, as Banken could not believe it. '_This guy, just bested my fathers creation. The legacy of the Ultimate Coordinators._' Banken thought as he activated Mirage Colloid. "You win this day Samuel. But remember, I will return, for a battle between us." With that, the White Frame vanished, as Samuel had the Jade Frame hover in the air.

Sam, breathed heavily, as what the Earth Forces had done to him, began to lessen, as his eyes returned to normal, as did the Jade Frame. "This is nuts, and so is that guy." Samuel told himself, as he looked at his power. "Damn, nearly out, better return." he told himself, as he powered down the phase shift, and flew back to the mother ship.

* * *

During the morning, from Carpentaria, Several ZAFT Heli's took off, containing that of the newly formed Zala team, moved out, to find their commander. After several hours, Nicol continued to try, as he got closer to his commanders area. While in the ocean, Kira's Strike Gundam moved, trying to find Cagalli, as both the Skygrasper one, and Strike searched for her. Athrun, in the cave, finished placing his things in a bag, as he began to get a transmission. "_Athrun, Athrun! respond!_" Nicol's voice could be heard from the Aegis' radio. Athrun, instantly went over the the Aegis.

"Nicol!" Athrun called, as he got on the radio.

"_Athrun, thank goodness, I'm locking onto your signal now. Were coming to get you." _Nicol's voice told him, as Athrun nodded.

"Alright thanks." he told his friend, as he was about to return to the cave, to see Cagalli, fully dressed from what she wore the night before. As he then started to detect something. "Something else is coming, Earth Forces by the look of it." Athrun told himself, as he looked down to Cagalli, and went to her.

"Well, what was that about?" She _asked._

"ZAFT has found me, and there is an Earth Forces machine nearby. I'm going to go hide the Aegis." he informed her.

"Alright I guess." she said turning to head for her Skygrasper. "By the way, My name is Cagalli, what's yours?" she asked, as she was leaving.

"Athrun, Athrun Zala!" he told her, as the two went their seperate ways.

* * *

A/N: Well well, finally done of this chapter. Athrun Cagalli scene on the Island. But a heads up, there is only one Canon couple in this story.

Ok, so Banken is back, and it seems he is an Ultimate Coordinator, but is he a failure like Canard, or a success, like Kira? Only time can tell. And it seems that he knows what Sam is.

Sam, and Mina seem to be getting closer, as they had another Kiss in this chapter. And it seems Ahmed has feelings for Cagalli, will she return them. Or will he feel hurt, and not good enough when he finds out who she really is. Only the future of this story will tell all of you.


	19. Chapter 19: The Neutral Nation

Disclaimer: I only own Samuel Lewis, and his mobile suit.

Chapter 19: The Neutral Nation

Samuel, looked at the ceiling, as he leaned against the wall of the Archangel's Cafeteria. "What is Banken up to?" Samuel wondered, as he kept an eye on Mina Sahaku, who was having a meal from the Archangel's Cafe. Mina looked at him, wondering what he meant.

"What do you mean Sam?" she asked, as Sam just shrugged.

"All I know is, that he knew you were onboard this ship somehow." he informed her, as he took a drink of a brown liquid, most likley chocolate milk. "Do you know of his past?" he asked her.

Mina just shook her head, with regret. "No, I'm sorry, but I have no information on him, besides he is, or rather was a worker at Morgenrete at Heliopolis." she answered him, as she finished. "Well, from what I've heard, the preperations, are ready for us." she told him, as Sam nodded. With that, she got up, and began to leave, as Sam followed close behind. "I sure am going to miss this ship." she commented, as she felt the wall, as she walked by, as Sam nodded.

"There is one thing to look foreward to." Samuel commented. "We will get back in the Izumo soon enough." he told her, as she nodded, the Izumo was the Sahaku ship, of the Izumo Class. The very first of the ships, and their private vessel to go to their Colony/Station the Pillar of Heaven, aka Ame-No-Mihashira. The both of them, came to the elevator, for the hangar, as a group of mechanics came in. Each of them, said their goodbyes to Mina, and Samuel, as the two went into the area they came out of. "Alright I take it back, this place will be greatly missed." he commented, as the two went down. The both of them, went into the pilots room, as they both put on their pilots suits. They were to use the Jade Frame, to jump ship, to an Orb Vessel, that is coming to the Archangel to pick them up.

Mina was slow however, putting hers on. "I wonder, how much has changed, since the past few months." she womdered out loud, as Sam put an arm around her shoulders.

"Remember, as long as it has changed for the better. Things will always be good for us." he told her, which caused a smirk from Mina. With that, the two came out of the pilots room doors into the hangar, as they came to the Jade Frame. Its last time, for being in the hangar, of the Archangel.

"Hey there you two." Murdoch told the two of them.

Sam, took notice of the mechanic. "Murdoch, hey man how are yeah?" Sam asked the chief.

Murdoch was surprised by the sudden question and smiled. "I'm doing Fine Sam, just thought I tell yeah, that the Jade Frame is fully repaired, besides its Binsoku pack." Murdoch told him.

"That is alright. An Aegis is supposdly coming to pick up the Jade Frame, along with me and Mina, so its alright." Sam told him, as he and Mina both went to the lift for the Jade Frame.

"Alright, just make sure you keep that thing together, wouldn't want ZAFT to capture one of Orbs machines!" Murdoch called, as Mina went into the cockpit, with Samuel following.

"You got that right!" Sam called down, as the cockpit closed infront of him. His machine began to walk towards the catapult, as the launch sequence began.

"_Jade Frame connected to Catapult, connect Isei, and Subeta being equipped to Jade Frame._" Mir's voice called out, as both of the packs, were equipped. The Raiden Multiphase Cannon, on the left side as the Tatsumasa anti ship sword on the other. The two Anti ship missile launchers were equipped to both shoulders, as the boomerang, was placed on the left hip of the machine. "_Subeta Isei Jade Frame, you are clear for launch. Oh, and Samuel, we will all miss you_"

"Same with us to you Mir." Samuel began as he smirked. "I hope buy something nice, with that money you got." he said with a wink. That caused the image of Mir a look of surprise "Jade Frame, heading out!" Sam called out, as the Jade Frame launched, and hovered in the air, as it landed on the Starboard Gottfried.

On the bridge, however, Mir still had a look of confusion, as Tolle looked back at her, as Kuzzey did as well. "How did he?" Kuzzey asked, as Natarle just shook her head, as she figured out what Samuel meant.

"Crewman, Haww, Buskirk, Koeing, you each know gambling is strickly prohibited?" Natarle asked them, as La Flaga, who was also on the bridge just smirked.

Just then, Sai noticed something on his monitor. "Oh no, not now." Sai said, as he got to work, identifying what was going on.

"What is it Crewman Argyle?" Natarle asked.

"Four, ZAFT subflight Guul units detected!" he called, as he tried to get the info on what was using them. "Mobile suits detected, checking library now!" he told them. "GAT-X102 Duel, 103 Buster, 207 Blitz, and 303 Aegis G-Weapons detected!" Sai told them.

With that, La Flaga left for the hangar, as Murrue nodded. "Go to level one battle stations!" she ordered, as Natarle nodded.

"Load Missile tubes one through twelve with sledgehammers, activate Igellstellungs, and Gottfrieds, get Valiant one ready." Natarle ordered, as she remembered, one of the Valiants were destroyed by Banken's forces a week ago. With this, the ship went into alert, as the Jade Frame got the alert as well.

"Damn, not now." Samuel commented, as he registered the captured G-Weapons as enemies, and had his beam rifle in one hand, as the Multiphase Cannon, snapped into firing position, and the Dark grey form of the Jade Frame, changed from Dark grey, to both white and Jade, showing the patterns of the Astray Prototypes.

"Get on the radio, tell the Orb Forces to pull back, as long as we are not in Orbs waters, this fight is not theirs." Mina ordered him. As at the Orb Harbor, many Aegis class battle ships, along with a few Kuraokami each began to mobilize, to escort the Aegis class. That was when the true battle began, as missiles from the Buster, and the a lancer dart from the Blitz, came towards the Archangel, along with missiles from the Guuls themselves.

"No time!" Samuel called, as what targeting systems he did have, began to activate, as he began to target the missiles. "They are not taking down my friends." He told himself, as his beam rifle, Raiden cannon, and that of the anti ship missile launchers on the shoulder of the mighty machine fired. As behind him, the remaining Igelstellungs fired along side it.

Yzak, was the first to see this, as then the others did as well, with that, the Zala team broke formation to stop it. "Samorei, you are still here, even though you are still so close to Orb?" Yzak wondered, as he began opening fire with his Shiva Railgun, at the Archangel, and that of the Jade Frame. Which dodged what shots were meant for it. Yzak was then fired at by an emerald beam, and where it originated from, was that of the beam rifle from the catapult below, with the Strike, in its Aile mode, with beam rifle aiming into the air.

"_Yzak, becareful the Strike has emerged!" _Nicol called, as the blitz opened fire at the Archangel with his Trikero's beam rifle, only heating up the Laminated Armor from where it hit, as it dodged fire from Kira.

As with the two protectors of the Archangel, Sam breathed heavily, as then Skygrasper one launched with the Strikes Launcher pack equipped. "Its about time you two." Sam told the two.

"We like to make a dramatic intro." Mwu told them with a smirk, as he dodged a beam attack from Dearka's 94mm beam weapon.

"Does it matter, we got to protect the people on this ship!" Kira called, as he fired into the sky, only to be dodged by the Duel and Aegis, Sam's brother, and Kira's friend. Sam joined in with the raiden, however the two machines were having a hard time, even getting a close shot.

As in the Aegis, Athrun Zala still wished he did not have to fight. "Kira." he said, as he nodded to himself. "Yzak, Nicol, Dearka into formation, today we are sinking the Legged Ship!" Athrun ordered, as Dearka combined his two weapons, into their docked form, making into a 94mm impulse Sniper Rifle, and opened fire on the Archangel, covering the Blitz, as it began to fly down towards the Archangel itself. While Mwu came in, to start distracting Dearka's Buster, away from the Archangel.

"You little!" Dearka called, as he fired both of his weapons at the skygrasper, as the experienced flyer, dodged the attacks, of the G-Weapon. "Lets see how you like this!" Dearka called, as he combined his rifles into the shotgun variation, and opened fire on the Archangel, damageing various places of the ship.

Samuel, took this, and opened fire with the Raiden on the Buster, which lifted away from the multi colored blast. However, Samuel had to change his attack, to evasion, as the Duel's beam rifle opened fire, as it harmlessly hit the Archangel's laminated armor. "Yzak." Sam whispered, as Mina held on to, the area she was in, as Sam moved the mobile suit, to dodge the attacks from his brothers machine. Sam dodged one more time, as he opened fire with the beam rifle on the Guul of the Duel, destroying it. However, Yzak had different thoughts, as the Strike opened fire on the free falling Duel, only to be blocked by its shield.

"Back off Strike!" Yzak yelled, as he opened fire, with a balistic amount of missiles, which pinned Kira down, because the Kinetic Weapons could really hurt the Archangel. As at the same time, the Blitz came to the area, of the Archangel's engine room, and launched the remaining lancer darts, from its Trikeros shield. Each one detonated, damaging the engine room of the Archangel.

Archangel, bridge:

"Ahh!" Mir called, as she felt the vibrations from the Blitz's attack.

"Damage report!" Murrue ordered.

"Damage to the Engine room." Jackie relayed, to everyone, as he checked the damaged areas, as the Archangel, was getting heavily damaged. "Various areas are on fire!" he called.

"Well put it out!" Murrue commanded.

As back outside, the Duel landed on the Archangel, and drew its beam sabre, as it and the Jade Frame, were meters apart, looking at each other. "Samorei, Why are you still here, when you are so close to Orb!" Yzak yelled, as he now knew, who Samuel has been protecting. "I know you have been protecting that nations noble, but why are you still here?" he asked again.

The Jade Frame, placed its Raiden back on its back, and place its beam rifle to its hip, as the Tatsumasa anti ship sword was drawn. "Because, we had to call off our escort because of your attack." Sam calmly told his brother, as the two machines stood, even though Kira could still get a clear shot, he focused on the Blitz, and Aegis.

"Ok, Sam can take care of the Duel, while commander La Flaga, can take care of the Buster, the Blitz, and Aegis are what I have to take." Kira told himself, as he fired up the thrusters of the Aile pack. With that, he took off towards the Blitz. Upon seeing the incoming enemy, Nicol opened fire at the incoming Strike, only to miss from the various dodges of the Strike Gundam. Within moments, the Strike was upon the blitz, as it delivered a kick to the lower torso of the dark machine, sending it off its flyer. Within moments, as the Blitz fell, the Strike blasted the Guul with its rifle.

"Ahh!" Nicol yelled, as the Strike took off from the exploding Guul, towards the Aegis. However, for the Jade Frame, the two grounded mobile suits, of the Joule brothers, dueled in a deadly dance, of beam sabres. Both machines, moved in such a way, the beam sabres left light as they were swung through the air. Tolle watched the battle from the bridge, as he was the closest to see it.

Archangel Bridge:

Sai, kept an eye on his instruments, bring up the statistics of the battle. "Jade Frame, and the Duel, are both on the port side of the leg ontop of the Gottfried, the Blitz has been taken out of the battle." Sai relayed.

Tolle, was in aww, as he watched the battle between the Duel, and the Astray. "Can we prove any assistance to any of our machines?" Murrue asked.

Chandra was the one to answer her. "Each of our machines are to close to the enemy to open fire."

Natarle, appeared angry, the Duel was to close for comfort for anyone right now, as it was on the Archangel, and could deal heavy damage, with its missiles and railgun. However, the sabres could only deal real damage to the Archangel's weapons, which was something that they were already being done.

The Archangel was just hit, by the Scylla of the Aegis, before it began to fight the Strike. The Scylla fried, the Starboard Gottfried, as Dearka's buster blasted away the same sides Valiant Gun. "Starboard Valiant and Gottfrieds are gone, we only have the Lohengrins and Port side Gottfried left!" Jackie called out, as in the ship, its occupants were shaked around a bit. As outside, the Jade Frame parried both of the beam sabres from the Duel.

Yzak, felt the burning of his scar, that his brother inflicted upon him back in space, as the pillars of burning fire, connected again. "Samorei, forget Orb, and come back to us!" Yzak told him, as the Duel ducked an attack meant for the head of the mobile suit. And came in, using the railgun, as a impact weapon, slamming it, into the Jade Frame.

Samuel, and Mina both felt the impact, as they were shakened by the impact, while Samuel, got right back onto his brother. "Its because Yzak, Orb is a place I want to protect now." he calmly replied, as his machine dodged a horizontal swing from the Duel, by jumping backwards, as several missiles were fired, damaging the weapons on the Duel's Assault Shroud, do to it, not having Phase Shift, like the rest of the machine. "I have sworn allegience to a noble family of Orb, and I will do anything protect the heads daughter." he told him, as Mina looked at Samuel hearing all this from him, to his brother, was very surprising to her.

"You speak of Mina Sahaku don't you?" Yzak calmly said, as he landed back on the ground, as the Jade Frame stood a good distance from the Duel. Sam, was surprised, to know that Yzak knew who he spoke of.

He looked with uncertainy at the Duel, as he placed both sabres back, into their non used area. And drew the Tatsumasa from its back. "Just how the hell do you know that she is the one I speak of?" Sam yelled, as he was confused.

That was, when an all channeled communication line was used, by a Orb forces fleet, that was just on the horizon. "Attention, Earth Forces, and ZAFT forces, you are approaching Orb territorial waters. If you enter our waters, we will have no choice but to open fire." The Orb broadcast called.

Sam smirked, as he looked at the Duel. "It seems this battle is over Yzak, those are my comrads now, and they are coming to defend their home." Samuel told him, as he then put the Anti Ship Sword away. "I'm Sorry Yzak, but, your stop is here!" he called out, as the Jade Frame came chargeing at the Duel. Yzak was to surprised at the tactic, as the Jade Frame, slammed its body into the Duel, lifting it up, all one hundred and three tons of the machine, and proceeded wtih the movement, in throwing the Duel off the side of the Archangel to the ocean below.

"SAMOREI!" Yzak yelled, as his mobile suit submerged underwater. While in the air above, Kira and Athrun dodge each others beam shots, while Dearka does the same to Mu.

Athrun, was thinking on one thing, just how good Kira has become, since Heliopolis. "Kira." Athrun notioned, as another beam was narroly dodged by the Strike, as it returned fire.

Dearka on the other hand, kept dodgeing as the same message of the Orb naval forces continued. "_You are all to close to our Waters, either turn back, or will protect our neutrality!_" The soldier called.

As on the Bridge, Cagalli, Ahmed, and Kisaka all rushed in. "Continue onwards! Continue to cross into their waters!" Cagalli shouted, earning looks from the bridge crew, and Ahmed.

"Cagalli, what are you. . ." Murrue began to ask, as Cagalli just shook her head.

"Just trust me on this, continue into their waters!" Cagalli, told them, as outside Dearka's Guul was destroyed by the Agni cannon of Mwu's.

Dearka sneered, as the Buster began to plummet, however, he combined his rifles to make the three hundred fifty millimeter shotgun, and opened fire, destroying most of the Leviatators, and Engines. "I'm not going down alone." Dearka mumbled, as he joined Nicol, and Yzak in the water. While back on the bridge Neuman tried to keep the Archangel up.

"Over half our Levitators are gone, and the Engines as well, we are going down!" He called. As Samuel felt the descent of the Archangel.

"Hurry, get into Orb waters!" Cagalli told them.

"But that will. . ." Natarle began.

Cagalli turned to Ramius. "It doesn't matter. Continue on course!" She ran aft to Kuzzey's station and snatched his headset. "Attention, Orb fleet! How can you say something like that after seeing the mess we're in? Defend us at once!"

The Orb commander frowned. _"Who is speaking?"_

"If you don't recognize me, then connect me to your superiors at once!" She glanced away, dreading what she was about to do. "Call my father. Call Uzumi Nara Athha!" As the crew looked at each other in collective surprise, she faced the screen again. "My name... My name is Cagalli Yula Athha!"

"But... Athha is..." Sai said to Mir, eyes wide.

"Chief Representative..." she finished. Ahmed on his own, had the look of fear in his eyes, the girl he has fallen for, is that of a high standard family while he was nothing but a desert boy.

"What the hell, we have had two Orb nobles all this time?" Tolle asked surprised.

In the Jade Frame, Samuel and Mina smirked. "It's about time Athha told the truth of herself to this ship." she commented, as Samuel nodded.

"Looks like this ship will be taking us right into Orb now." Sam added in, as the discussion continued.

As the conversation continued. _"I'm in no mood for jokes!"_ the Orb commander finally said._"There's no way the princess could be on your ship. And even if you are who you say you are, I can't just do whatever you say without some kind of evidence to back up your claims!"_

"You brainless-" The signal was turned off on her. As in the Aegis Gundam, Athrun was in shock, only enough to distract him for a little bit, until he snapped back, and tried to go for the Archangel, as Kira returned, to be covered by a multiphase beam from the Jade Frame. Athrun dodged the attack, as then several of Orb Heli's cut him off, as the Ship hit the water.

As on the Bridge

The calmed Kisaka came to Murrue. "We have no choice but to enter their territory now," Kisaka said, next to a grieving Cagalli. "Don't worry; Orb's Second Escort Fleet is famous for their accuracy. We'll be just fine."

Ramius nodded, though still completely bemused by the latest turns of events. "I understand."

The Commander of the Second Fleet showed them, that what he said, he meant. _"Since you have seen fit to ignore our warnings, we have no choice but to open fire."_

The entire fleet opened up on the _Archangel_, and without a closer look than anyone could get, it appeared that they missed by accident. And with no way to get to the ship now, Athrun retreated, to fight another day.

The Archangel sailed in the Orbs waters, as the Aegis ships surround it, to camoflauge it from Enemy scanners if need be. As in the hangar, Samuel, and Mina did something they thought they would not be doing, as they touched down again, within the hangar floors of the Archangel. "Never thought I'd be touching down, in here again." Samuel smirked to himself, as Mina removed her helmet, allowing her hair, to flow back down her back.

"Your telling me, I'm just going to be glad to touch down on Orb soil." She told him, as he nodded in agreement.

"Well well, you can't seem to get enough of us, huh?" Murdoch said, coming up from behind as he put Samuel in a headloche. Even though Sam was a cooridnator, he knew everyone on this ship were nice people.

"Ok, ok Murdoch, you can stop now." Sam told him, as Mina burst out laughing, watching Samuel get an old wrestleing move on him. Murdoch let him go, as he just had a huge smile on him.

"I hear we are actually going to go on Orb soil." He heartily said. "This will be my first time." He continued with a big smile.

"I'll say, and the students from Heliopolis will be able to see their home again." Mina commented. As she nodded, "Yeah, for all they have done, I will allow it." she told the two, as Mwu came over as well as Kira.

"Well well, its interesting to see you, here." Mwu said with his usual smirk. "Thought you were in Orb by now." Mwu said with his usual smile.

Meanwhile on the bridge, it was quiet, as Kisaka stood beside Murrue. "You have nothing to worry about it. Onogoro docks, are shielded even from satellites." he told the woman.

"Just tell me who are you?" she asked. "I thought you were just some guy from Tasil." she told him.

"I am Miss Ramius, I am also lady Cagalli's body guard, and that of the Orb Military." he told her, as Neuman, turned the Archangel one hundred and eighty degrees.

"We are docking now mam." He informed her, as the mighty ship pulled into the hangar, as word of the families began to head to this hangar. Mainly Uzumi Nara Athha, and his rivals Rondo Koto Sahaku, and Rondo Ghina Sahaku. The two limo's both arrive at the same time, as the first to leave each limo were two woman. One was Cagalli's nanny, Mana, while from the Sahaku's black and yellow Limo, came a tall woman with green hair, as she went onto the Archangel after Mana, as both woman seemed to have a suitcase with them. Mana went to the quarters, where Cagalli stayed, as the Green haired woman went to Mina Sahaku's quarters.

"Lady Sahaku!" the green haired woman said, as Sam smirked to finally see this woman once again.

"Merela, it is good to see you. How is father doing?" Mina asked.

The woman, revealed baby blue eyes, as she shook her head. "I'm sorry lady Sahaku, but the disease he has, is getting worst." Merela informed her.

"I see, and I believe there is more to your visit?" Mina asked, as Merela nodded, dropping the briefcase she had.

Sam saw that there was clothing within it, and nodded. "I will leave you M'lady and will meet you outside the ship." He said bowing, as he left both woman in the quarter. As he did, he saw Ahmed standing in the hall, looking at something in his hand. "Hmm, he has been down since that battle." he told himself, as he walked over to the African rooted teen. "Hey Ahmed!" Sam said cheerful, as Ahmed just squeezed his hand around, the pendent of his.

"Hey Sam, and I guess you already knew huh?" he asked, the white haired pilot.

"Knew what, the stuff about Cagalli?" Sam asked, as Ahmed nodded. "Oh I see, don't worry. You will win herheart, sometime. Just don't give up." he told him.

"But Sam, I'm a nobody, I'm someone from the middle of nowhere litteraly!" Ahmed explained to the jade frame's pilot. "She is a princess of a nation, how the hell am I going to . . . get. . . her to like me?" he asked.

Sam just smirked with this, as he put an arm around the young man. "Just between you and Me. Their are boundaries between people like you and her. But heres the thing, someone I can tell with you is someone who will not give up." he said, poking the kid in the chest. "Trust me on that, you can't give up on your feelings. Ever!" he told him.

"Yeah I guess you are right. By the way, what will you and Mina do now?" he asked, as Sam took his arm of Ahmed, and put it against his chin.

"I am guessing our relationship will become hidden again." Sam nearly whispered. "No matter, as long as I'm still her body guard, I will be with her." he said with a smile. "Just remember kid, never give up on her. You will be able to turn her." he told him, as Sam ran down the halls, to the main hatch of the Archangel.

An hour later, each of the crew of the Archangel waited by the door, as Mana led Cagalli as she wore a a lovely green dress. Kira and Flay, both saw her, as Kira was interested, however Flay seemed to have a sour face. As everyone has learned who and what Cagalli was. Following her, were both Kisaka, and what seemed to be a bit disturbed and nervous Ahmed. Behind them, the obvious coordinator Merela, was followed by Mina Sahaku. In a mix colored dress of black, red, and purple. With just Samuel behind her, in his Morgenrete uniform, back from Heliopolis, along with the side arm, that Savir gave him, back before Artemis.

Upon exiting the ship, the Sahaku family were by their limo, as it seemed Uzumi Nara Athha was nowhere to be seen. However was known to be having a meeting with the lead officers of the Archangel. Cagalli, and Mana got into the Athha car, along with Kisaka, and Ahmed. As Mina came up to the ones waiting for them. "Brother, it is good to see you are well." Mina told him, with a stern look, to get back into the Sahaku persona. That was when a cough was heard beside them. This fellow had dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes. His Robes were that of the head of the household of a noble family. It was Ghina's and Mina's father, Rondo Koto Sahaku. Sitting in a wheelchair, do to his health. "You to father." she said with more of a smile.

"It is good to see you as well my daughter. After Ghina told me of Heliopolis, I feared the worst, until that call came in that you were coming home, from this ship." He said, looking at the white and red ship. "The Nation received the shuttle from the eighth fleet battle." the middle aged man told her.

"That is good to hear." She said whiping her forehead. "Can we get in the Limo and go home?" Mina asked. As her father nodded, with the three of them going into the Limo.

"Excuse me Samuel." Ghina began, as he came up. "I know that you have used the Jade Frame. Please take that to the main Morgenrete facility for the Astray program." he said, as Samuel nodded, doing as he was told.

"Sam, I will see you back at the Manor." Mina told him, as she saw him through the door, as Sam nodded, and left back for the Archangel. And to Mina the door was closed by her brother, as the Sahaku's were being taken back home. However, both of the male Sahaku's had something to say, to the only female of their family.

"It has come to our attention, that you have been losing sight of our goals." Koto told her, as he put his hands together.

Mina just smirked at them. "Are you sure? I brought the Phase shift equipped Jade Frame back." she told the two of them. '_I can't let them know that of my feelings towards Sam, and how distasteful this plan of theirs is.'_ She thought to herself.

"It seems that you and Samorei are getting to close for comfort, we can't have any distractions from our plans." Ghina told her, with an eerie look. "Are we sure he has not poisoned your mind, of the Athha's ideals?" he asked her.

And like a professional liar Mina nodded. "Don't worry, his words have yet to poison my mind. Infact, whatever affection I've shown him, is a ploy." She lied.

"Good, because the Astray program is nearly complete. Unfortunately. Juri was unable to retrieve the Natural OS used in the Red Frame." Ghina told her. As she heard that the Red Frame still existed, but nothing else about it. "I made sure it came down here, and that its ship is no longer useable." Ghina told her with a smirk. "Remember Mina, we are to keep these pathetic commoners, around our fingers, we can't be around theirs." he told her. He then looked out the window. "You just have to remember, Samuel has betrayed his homeland, and his people by fighting to protect you from them. Are we sure he wont turn on you?" he asked.

Meanwhile back at the docks, the Jade Frame, walked out of the hangar of the Archangel, with both packs equipped do to the other ones destruction. As the Jade Frame was classified as an Orb machine. It walked to the secret area of the M1 Project, with it just walking in. There were many M1 Astrays, in the area, all powered down, but were in full status. Sam saw these as he emerged from the cockpit, to see that the area was full of them. He then finally lowered down the zipline to the ground, as Erica Simmons, a brown haired woman, that was in her late twenties came up to him. "It's good to see you again, Samuel." she told him. As most of Orb, he was still known as Samuel, as only the Sahaku's knew his true name.

"As it is to see you as well Erica. I see the Astray Program is working well." Sam said with a smile.

"Only if we didn't hit that Snag." Savir said walking in, as Sam turned to see his 'Brother' according to Orb. "Its been a while Sam." As the shoulder lengthed haired clone walked over.

"What sort of snag?" Sam asked, as he looked at a random M1.

Erica just continued looking at the massive Jade Frame, with all its equipment on it. "The Operating System, we just can't seem to get it right. We need a coordinator with combat experience to make one for us, in no time." She told him, as he nodded.

"I think we got a answer for that." he replied. "The Strikes pilot is a coordinator, and we could get him to help." he told her, as with that, the project began to continue.

"I believe Uzumi already asked for his assistance and and Strikes battle data for payment on repairing their ship." Erica informed Sam.

"Geesh a hard bargain." Sam said with a grim face. "Oh Erica, here, this is a new pack I have been working on for the Jade Frame" He told her handing the head mechanic of Morgenrete. "It also contains the battle data of the Jade Frame, and optical images of the Strike Gundam in battle if you want to research on its performance in that sense." he continued.

"Alright, with this, and the Strikes data, we will have all the bugs out of the M1's." She told him, as with that, she turned to leave. "Oh and Sam, we will get this pack done don't worry. As we already know that the Binsoku pack was destroyed." she told him.

With that, a short while later,Sam and Savir walked down the large hangar type room, with several M1s around. "It is good to see you are alive Savir."

Savir smirked, as he walked over to a M1, and took the lift up, with Sam on the lift as well. "As you and lady Sahaku. Even though, it has been somewhat hectic here, since the thought of the Jade Frame going missing, and the lost of Lady Sahaku. Not to mention lady Cagalli wasn't even around either." he explained, as he sat in the cockpit of the M1.

"Yeah, lucky they both ended up on the Archangel." Sam said with a smile, as he thought of one of them girls.

While another at the Athha mansion, Ahmed walked up behind her. "Cagalli, can I speak with you alone?" he asked, the girl he has known since she arrived in Tassil, as this day was his second time seeing her in a dress. The first time, when he took her back to the village after the events with the Desert Tiger. A few moments later, Cagalli, and Ahmed entered into the study, a large room, and well lit, by the sunlight coming in from.

"So, what is it you wanted to speak to me about?" She asked, as she saw a a chain in his hand.

"Cagalli, I. . .I. . . I can't do it." Ahmed said as he placed something in her hand. "Sam told me not to give up, but I'm not that strong." he told her, as Cagalli looked at him confused. "I'm sorry, but I must go." he told her, leaving the room and Mansion all together, as she looked at the trinket he gave her. The very trinket his mother game him before they left Tasil.

Meanwhile later that night, Kira was movning the Strike under the cover of darkness, to the Morgenrete facility. Being guided by Samuel, in a jeep. While two things were going on at once elsewhere. As a Lesseps tank hovered over the water, to enter Orb Territory, while four people in scuba gear appear on a rocky side cliff, as they stripped of the gear. The four guests were the other G-Weapon pilots, as a few people came to meet them. "Here, these cards will get you into the low security areas." a man said, handing all four of the pilots, as they were given the access cards, and Orb Civilian Id's.

A/N: Well, this chapter is complete. And some serious things are going on between the Sahakus, especially as the Males don't want Mina around Samuel. Also the newly appointed Zala team have entered Orb. And what is this Lesseps that was mentioned.


	20. Chapter 20: Storm Warning

Chapter 20: Storm Warning

Orbs Coastal waters: Late Night

Upon receiving their cards, the ZAFT spy in the nation of Orb, just finished giving the four ZAFT soldiers. And began to explain what he had for them. "These are just level one access cards, they will only get you into the lesser strict security zones." He told them, earning a look from Yzak. "This is all I could do, for the short notice of this mission. Even though you were just in battle in the nations waters, just yesterday." the spy told them.

"Yeah yeah" Dearka mused, as he waved his hand. "Just do you have anything else for us? Like a vehicle or something, the size may seem small, but its a lot bigger, than one would think." he said as a joke.

Yzak just shook his head. "Dearka, this is no time for jokes, for all we know that enemy ship is here." Yzak snarled, as Nicol just looked at him.

"You know Yzak, we know you are more concerned on finding your brother." Nicol told him with a chuckle.

Yzak just gave Nicol a look of distaste. "Yeah yeah, Nicol, now that is out, tell me, any information on Samorei Joule, or rather Samuel Lewis?" Yzak asked.

"Besides the fact, that a lot of people were surprised by the word of Rondo Mina Sahaku, and Samuel Lewis." the spy told him. "As far as we know, he and the Sahaku's have full access to Morgenrete, so he may be hard to find, do to being in the most strict security areas." he informed the silver haired duel pilot.

"Alright then." Athrun finally spoke up. "We split up in two teams, Nicol your with me, Yzak, Dearka you two together, we will meet up at the rendezvous point, at sunset." he demanded, and with that, the ZAFT G-Weapon pilots went into the town, as the day, was about to begin, in the small hours of the morning.

Morgenrete Mobile Suit facility:

The area was a buzz, as the Strike Gundam, came into the facility, as many people came to see what Morgenrete created at Heliopolis, that so many friends died for. Samorei sat in the Jade Frames cockpit, as what data from that machine was being downloaded into the facilities, matrix. Sitting beside him, was someone that the Archangel would not know, as another person that looked a lot like him sat on the catwalk infront of the Jade Frame, as he looked at the Strike. He wore a leather jacket, over nothing, while he also wore blue pants. His hair, to distinguish between the several clones of Samuel, was in a Mohawk, still in silver color. "So, this is the machine that the others have talked so much about." the man said.

"Yeah, that be it Azure, and the pilot is no push over." Sam addressed the man, who actually seemed a bit older than Samorei himself.

"The GAT-X105 Strike, designed for various situations, however a master at none of them, like its brothers." he smirked, as he moved, on his right hip, was a cylinder, of some sort. He then turned to Samorei with a smirk. "Just like your machine, a jack, but not a king." He smirked, as in his left hand was a deck of cards, as he drew two of them, showing exactly what he just said. However the Jack was a jack of hearts, "While you are trying to impress the queen." he continued, showing the Queen of Diamonds between the Jack and King.

"One day Azure, you have to teach me that." Samorei smirked, as Azrue nodded.

"In do time brother, but today is not that day." he answered, as he shuffled the deck. "Because the Ace is leaving the building." he said, as he walked away, leaving the ace of spades, behind him on the walkway.

"I can't believe that guy came from my genes." Sam shook his head, as a female giggle could be heard. "Well well Mayura, snooping in places you are not suppose to?" he asked.

"Hey, how the heck did you know it was me?" the female asked as she came out into the open. She had short red hair, and green eyes. She wore a pink shirt, and grey pants, she also wore a red vest, that showed, she was a member of Morgenrete, while more importantly, she just kept her smile. Unknown to most of Orb, she had a thing for Samuel Lewis.

"Who else would Savir be telling me to watch out." Sam explained as he pointed towards Savir, up at a another Catwalk, infront of a Yellow M1 Astray, as Asagi Caldwell, a blonde teenager, and technically the leader of a trio of Orb pilots. "So what brings you hear May?" he asked.

"Not much really, I haven't seen you for such a long time." She told him with a smirk. "Infact, the only one that I even talked to that resembled you, is Azure, and some of the things he says I can not even make out." she told him, as she waved her arms in the air.

"You and me both May." Sam said with a smile. "However, it is time for the M1 test. I have yet to see the machines in combat, even if it is just training." he told her.

Mayura nodded, as the two went down an elevator, to see Kira who just saw Cagalli enter the area. "They are Orbs, defences to keep our Neutrality." Cagalli told him, as Kira just got to asking her, what all the M1 Astrays were there for. "Despite the fact, that my father still let the Earth Forces, create those machines at Heliopolis." she scorned, as Mayura left Samorei, and went to join her three friends, in the pilots ready room to run tests on the M1s.

Sam walked over to Cagalli and the others. "Cagalli, take it easy on your father. Despite the conflict outside Orbs Waters, eventually, the entire Planet will have to side with one or the other." Sam told her, earning a scornful look, from the woman who hated the guts of Sam's employers, a person might say. "Eventually, these machines might save Orb, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually, they will protect what this nations values most, and that is its people." he continued.

Erica Simmons nodded. "And that is the kind of Notion that Lady Sahaku asked us to have you join Morgenrete, despite her rivalry with lady Cagalli here. She sees the notion of having a defence against both the Earth Forces Mobile suits, and that of ZAFTs mobile suits." she commented. "As she left for Heliopolis, she left, both me and Azure here, to oversee the construction. But we seemed to hit a bit of a problem." she told them, looking at Kira, as Sam nodded, knowing full well of what she meant.

Cagalli, also knew of this problem, however Kira wondered. "What is it, what would you need me for?" He asked.

Erica nodded to Samuel as he turned, notioning Kira to follow him. The Four of them, walked the grounds between where they once were, to a demonstration area. They stood, at a large window as on the other side, was a large traning room, with prairieland terrain, which was hills, and flat land. Within the room, were three machines, each of that that looked much like the Jade Frame, only using a Dark Red, rather than the jade color in the joint areas. The machines also had a back pack, that resembled an X, but with several thrusters within it. Each of the machines were in their standard white, shown as they were testing models, rather than the ones that were to be fielded if Orb, came under fire. "Juri, Mayura, Asagai, you can begin now." Erica called out to the three test pilots.

"_Roger that!"_ Juri Wu Nien called out, as the other girls nodded.

"_Ok girls, lets not try to fall over each other this time."_ Asagai ordered, who was the leader of the three girls ordered.

"_Yes Mam"_ Mayura replied, as the three machines began to move, however really clumsy, and in a form, that would have them killed, if not by an enemy machine, but by friendly fire as well.

"The would not last long on the field of battle." Sam snorted.

"_HEY!"_ Juri's voice called over the radio.

"_We heard that!_" Asagi told him. As the M1 that Asagi was in, looked towards the window, as the three girls saw Sam waving his arms in defence.

"I'm sorry girls, I am just stating a fact." he told the girls, as he shook his head. 'Kira and I, are in for a world of work, for this.' he commented to himself.

"Alright girls, you can shut the machines down, and allow Samuel to take a look at them." Erica told them.

"_Yes Mam"_ The three girls commented.

Erica Simmons then turned to Kira, and looked at the once known civilian, but now soldier and pilot of the Strike. "I would also like you to help him." she told him. "We would like that the M1s, to be just as good as both the Strike and the Jade Frame, that is why both of you are here." she told them both, as Samuel just nodded.

"I see." was all Kira told her, as he also nodded.

She nodded, as she then turned to Sam. "Both Lord Ghina, and Lady Mina will be arriveing in an hour Sam, they will both be speaking to you." she told him.

Cagalli, just gave a scornful look, she just did not like the Sahaku's and just word of them, just has something hit her within the stomach. It was mainly just that family rivalry, it was just a good thing neither family was out for blood right in the open. "Alright, I will meet with them, at the main doors." Sam told her, as she nodded. With that, he left, as did Kira, who went for the Strike to get what info he can, to make a proper OS for the M1 Astrays.

An hour later, Samuel waited outside, as a black and yellow limo pulled infront of the main doors of the Morgenrete facility at Onogoro Island. Sam being the guy as he is, walked over to the door of the Limo and opened the door. "M'lords, its good of you to arrive." Sam said as he smiled at Mina who was the first to get out. She was in her regular noble attire, as was her brother who came out after her. As Sam smiled, Mina returned it. "If I may asked you two, what is the purpose of your visit?" he asked.

Mina just then gave him a confused look, "Ok, who the hell are you, and what did you do with Sam?" she asked as he just shrugged his shoulder.

"Guess I can't fool you now can I Mina?" the man asked, as he shrugged.

Ghina just shook his head, annoyed at the manner his ferternal twin was acting. "Alright, Saxton, where is Samorei?" he asked the clone of of the silver haired pilot.

He just shrugged, "The last time I saw him, he was at the area, they are making the Raikou pack." He told them. "You can go there if you wish." he continued.

Ghina just shook his head at this nonsense, "You clones are such a bore. Mina come on, I want to see, this new weapon of Sam's." he told her with a sternful look, as the two Sahaku's went on the inside. As not far from them, Yzak and Dearka spotted them.

"So, we finally found someone that was on the legged ship." Dearka smirked.

Yzak, just nodded. "We may of found my brother, and that woman that was also on it, doesn't mean it is still here." he commented. Dearka just looked at him oddly. "What I mean is, that Sam told me, he and that Sahaku woman were to be dropped off. All we can tell from this is that they actually made it back to Orb." he told him. With that Dearka just nodded in agreement. "Come on, we have to report to Athrun." he ordered his blonde friend, as the two left.

Inside the Facility

Ghina, and Mina were both lead by Saxton, to a testing facility, as in the room, was full of various equipment, to test out mobile suit weaponry. Up in the air, was a back pack, flight unit. Dark green in color, as it looked like the flight pack, the Aile pack, but more as though what the M1 Astray was equipped with. However, it had two vertical wings, on both sides, each one as an extra battery, while folded around them, were a pair of weapon pods. Which were the weapons being tested, as they shot up. Upon doing so, they both began to emit a purple energy and then died down. "Damn, not getting it right." Samorei said, as he slammed on the council infront of him. He was trying to get the Jade Frames new Raikou pack. Which was equipped with a pair of electromagnetic cannons.

Ghina was the first to speak, "haha, the lowly coordinator, who is making a weapon yet failing." Ghina said waving his hand.

Sam turned around with surprise, as he saw the twins their along with his clone. "Mina, Ghina, is it that time already?" he asked. As the two nobles nodded, Sam looked up to the weapon. "Its the type 70-30 Electro Magnetic Cannon." he explained.

"Impressive." Ghina said, as he then walked over to the simulation on the computer. "Is this what it is suppose to be able to do?" he asked, as he saw a model of a M1, blasting the weapon in question. After the beam was over, several drone machines in the simulation, sparked, and then exploded.

"Yes, that is what we are heading to." Sam confirmed as he just smirked.

Ghina smirked as well. "It seems you want to upgrade your Astray, you are just lucky my own is nearly complete for its upgrade." he said with a smirk.

Sam wondered what he meant, as he has never truly saw his 'Girlfriends' Brother since the attack on Heliopolis. "What machine's upgrade? None of the Astrays have been finally created yet so it can't be one of them." he told him, as Ghina was earning a questionable look.

Ghina just smirked, its almost erie. "That Samorei, you will have to wait and see." he replied, as he turned to his sister. "You might as well sister. But for now, we leave this topic as is. And continue on with the Jade Frames upgrades right now." he told them, as Sam nodded.

"Alright, but basicly this pack is all it is. Its based from the Binsoku pack, as you noticed, or rather the packs they Astray's are hardwired with it." he continued. "I have been designing one like the one thats being tested, and one that just gives the mobile suit more energy, like the Binsoku once did." he continued, looking towards the pack that is being tested.

"_Samuel, the configuration has been done, we are clear for test five."_ the speaker system informed him.

Sam just nodded. "Alright begin test fourteen, and hope we got it right this time." Sam informed the messenger. With that, the back pack in the room, had two beam cannons snap into position, that would look like the cannons would go under the arms of the mobile suit. Two balls or purple energy began to be emitted from the barrel of the cannons. And they opened fire.

Meanwhile, on the Archangel, at Onogoro Island being repaired, Sai, Kuzzey, Tolle, Mir, and Flay were in the Cafeteria. Flay being as silent as usual, while Kira was off at the Morgenrete. Everyone were silent, until Kuzzey began. "I wonder why we were asked here." he wondered as everyone wondered just the same.

"Don't know." Sai said almost wondering of Flay, ever since Africa, things have not been the same with him. Ever since he went for that tumble with the Strike.

Tolle on the otherhand, was indeed wondering what this meeting was about, but he wondered how well he was truly doing, in that flight similator, as Cagalli and Ahmed have left, they had an aircraft, still in the hangar. "I'm more concerned with, what will happen now. We officially, joined the Alliance, so we can't stay here." he said a bit saddened.

Mir just nodded, "Yeah Tolle is right." she said, which earned a sad look from each of the teenagers. That was when Captain Ramius, and Natarle Badgiruel came into the room. "Its good to see, that all of you are here." Murrue began, as she caught the attention of each. Earning a Salute, from each, besides Flay, who was in her own little world at the moment. "We have discussed with Chief Representative Athha, and you are able to meet with your parents." Murrue announced to them. Sad face began shown as surprise and happyness, besides Flay of course. Who felt hurt, that all her friends, were actually capable of seeing THEIR parents, while she was alone in the world. "We were able to get a hold, of them, and every one of your parents, survived Heliopolis, as Halberton informed us, and each of them, will be meeting with you tomorrow, at fourteen hundred hours." she informed each of them.

Back at Morgenrete, Erica Simmons, looked over various data, of the Jade Frame, Gold Frame, and even a new arrival to the area, the Astray Red Frame, a machine that came here just a short while after the Archangel arrived. Each of the Frames, had various battle data, but the Red Frame, and Jade Frames, had the most interesting battle data. As she viewed the list of opponent mobile suits. For the Red Frame, there is the Blue Frame, Two Customed GINNs, one known as Tempester, while the other was known as Feugo, a High Maneuver type GINN, and Heavily armed GINN. Its next opponent, was more intrigueing, which was actually the Gold Frame, that Lord Sahaku brought to Orb, for Repairs. Then that was it besides a few tanks, after that, then nothing else.

For the Jade Frame, it had a wide variety of battles, even more than the Red Frame. Amongst them, was the G-Weapons stolen by ZAFT, and that of what seemed to be a fifth Astray Prototype, or so from its design features. But most important, for the data she looked over both was this. "Samuel Lewis is a Nautural, yet he uses a Coordinator OS, while the Red Frame itself, is using a Natural OS." Erica wondered if they could make such an OS better than what it already had. As before this, the one who designed the system, had never saw battle before making it. "But more importantly, what of Samuel, most of this data, are hidden things about him, such as the. . ." she just shook her head. "Has he, and the Sahaku's been lieing to all of Orb?" she wondered.

As out in Orb a day later, Samorei drove in his car throughout town. Just a day or so ago, he finished with his testing of his machine. It was good, but not perfected yet. "I wonder just what exactly now what Yzak is up to." He said, his car slowed down, to a stop, at a public park, just outside of the city square. He saw several children playing in the area, as his car door lifted open, which he got out. Ever since he came to Orb in the first place, this park was one of his favourite places to be. Peaceful, and the sound of children playing, and having fun, kept him relaxed. Something that of ten years ago for him, was a living hell for him. Before closing the door, of the car, he grabbed his laptop, and a side arm, just incase, and concealed it under the flap of the jacket he wore. The Jade Frame pilot, then closed the door, and set the car alarm. And walked into the park, listening to the peace.

One thing that caugh his attention, were a pair of children. One a teenager, and another probably a teen as well, but seemed so young to be one. "Haha, your it Shinn." the girl called out.

The boy was smileing as he chased after the girl, who hid behind a tree. "I'll get you Mayu!" the black haired boy called, as the two laughed, as he tried to catch the girl. Sam just smiled, at the wonderful life the two kids had, and continued walking. He remembered something spoken of the night before during the Sahaku visit.

_After testing was finished, the Sahaku's, Sam and Saxton met up with Erica Simmons. After a few words exchanged, Mina, and Erica went off, and began discussing something on a reflective coating. Of some sort, and that of a personal M1 she could use. "Excuse Me Erica, but I have some questions about Dawn, and that armor, perhaps, I could use a shield for testing purposes." _Was all Min had said, that Sam could make out.

"Just what were they speaking about?" Sam wondered, as he sat down on a bench and let out a sigh, until he heard a small girls voice.

"SAVIR SAVIR!" the voice called, Sam knew the voice, even though, he was not who she was looking for. He turned his head, to see one of the rescue refugee's that Kira brought aboard the Archangel. It was Elle, that gave Kira the Origami Flower. The Small girl hugged Sam, "SAVIR!" she called.

"Whoa whoa, sorry little one, but I'm not Savir, I'm his blood ho. . . brother. I'm Samuel, the one who piloted the green mobile suit." he told her.

Her eyes went wide, as she remembered the green machine save her shuttle from what she thought as the Demon Blue machine. "Excuse me sir." a tall woman, obviously the mother of Elle, told him. "I'm sorry for the rudeness of my daughter. Oh. . my, it is you, the one from the Archangel." She said, as he nodded.

"We haven't properly mentioned who we are. The name Is Samuel Lewis, and you are?" he asked.

The woman nodded, as the two shook hands. "Maria Stefan." she said. "You may know my other daughter, Yoon?" she asked.

Sam was surprised, he knew of a Yoon Stefan, back at Morgenrete, one of the head engineers on the M1 Astrays. "You. . . So your Yoon's mother. I see where she gets her good looks." he said, to her, as Elle smiled.

Maria just smirked. "Odd, hearing that, especially as she isn't a Natural." Maria smirked. "Well no matter, it was good to see you again Samuel. And please, allow me to thank you for everything you did for us. For especially saving my daughters life." she said, handing him some money. "Its a small patrionege. But I just want to get it off my chest, as a thank you." she told him.

"Thank you, but I can't accept it. Just seeing the two of you again, is good enough for that." he said, as with that, Maria nodded.

"Come on Elle, its time to go." Maria told her.

Elle turned around one last time. "Thank you for protecting us!" she said with a wave. Sam waved back, and just smiled.

"So everyone did make it." he said with a smile. "That is good." he continued. As he sat down again, and went through various data on his laptop, mainly what he had to do on the M1 OS.

Meanwhile, Sai and the others each met up with their parents, while at a different office. Uzumi met with three people. Both Caridad, and Haruma Yamato met with him, as over in a darker side of the room, was a woman with long hair. The only thing a person could tell of her, is that it was a woman, but nothing else was distinguishable. "What is this Meeting for Uzumi?" Caridad asked. "You said at our last one, was to be our last time, ever seeing each other again." the blue haired woman pointed out.

"Yes Uzumi, this is rather unexpected." The woman who had her face concealed by the shadow notioned.

Uzumi looked at her. "This Meeting is unexpected, but so is the news I am about to share." he told each of them, as they all looked at each other. "The children, we have sworn for, have met." this caused a concerned features on each persons face. "It was by accident, and the events that occured for them, could not be avoided." he told each of them.

That was when the woman who had her face hidden leaned foreward as it came into view. "Please Uzumi, tell us more." she said, as her face became visible. She looked, exactly like Flay, just a bit older, and her hair, was a dark brown with greyish blue eyes.

Hours later, Flay finally came to the quarters she shared with Kira and entered, intending to rest. But a voice spoke from the computer alcove. "Hey there," Kira said, glancing up from his work.

"Kira? What are you...?"

"Oh, sorry," he said, turning back to the computer. "I'll be done in a little bit. Do you mind waiting a minute? Or I could meet you in the cafeteria when I'm done."

She frowned. "Why didn't you go?"

"What...?" he said absently.

"Don't you have family here as well? Why aren't you going to see them?"

Kira was quiet for long moments after that, before finally speaking in a subdued voice. "This is taking longer than I thought it would," he said, still typing, "but it has to be done before the _Archangel_ leaves."

"Liar!" Flay stomped over to him and slammed her hand down on the desk. "You're lying!"

He looked up at her, surprised and confused. "What?"

"What is it? You feel bad for me?" she shouted angrily. "Because no one's come to see me? You pity me."

Kira blinked in confusion. "No, I-"

"So now you're feeling sorry for me. Is that it?"

He stood. "No, Flay," he protested. "That's not it."

Flay snorted in disgust. "Oh, I just wish you'd stop it; you're putting on this big sympathy act for me, but I really couldn't care less!" Her expression turned mocking. "You're the one who's really suffering, aren't you? _You're_ the one people should be feeling sorry for." Her tone joined her face. "Poor little Kira. Kira's all alone. You feel terrible because you're fighting; and when you can't protect people, you feel even worse. So then, you start crying."

She started crying herself, and put her head against Kira's chest, sobbing and beating her fists against him. "So how," Flay sobbed, "so how... how can you feel any sympathy for someone like me?"

Kira just stood there for several moments, confused and, now, a little angry. "Flay..." He swallowed. "Stop it," he said, feeling very tired. "Let's put an end to it; this was a mistake."

At first Flay didn't realize what he was saying. "What...? What did you say?" She pushed away as the import of the words registered. "What? What does _that_ mean?"

She pushed him away and ran out of the room, sobbing; as in the halls, Flay came running around the corner, as she smashed right into the chest of Samorei, causing her to fall backwards, to the ships floor. A grunt was heard, by Flay, as she looked up to see Sam rubbing his chest. "Flay?" he asked, helping the red headed girl up. He saw the tear stained cheeks, as he looked at her. "Flay, whats wrong?" Sam asked her, as she just shook her head.

"Nothing, Nothing. . ." she said, as she wrapped her arms, around his chest, in a hug. "Sam, I miss Papa!" she said crying in his chest. This hug, caught Sam by surprise, but he knew this feeling she had. His father died, a year after he returned home, after his kidnapping. Flay began to drag him down, however he wrapped his arms around her, she looked at him.

"Flay, I'm sorry for what happened to your father." He said, as Flay just looked up at him. Something inside her felt warm, even if he was a coordinator, it felt like he was protecting her. Not a love kind of way, but more of an older brother, protecting his sister. "Just, let it all out Flay." he told her, as she cryed on his shoulder.

A few weeks later, Kira had finished his work on the Natural OS, something harder, to make, than what he thought. Sam watched, as in the training room, Asagi Caldwell, Savir's girlfriend, as Savir was beside Sam, watched her move, a lot better in her Astray, than what she did before. "_Wow, this is much better!_" she called out.

Sam nodded, he took note, of how much better the M1 was moving. Kira did most of the work on the OS, and he could only say, that he was very impressed. With that, he began to leave for the Jade Frame, as Kira was just finishing his explanation of the OS alterations he'd made. "...and I redesigned the whole system to make it more compatible with the reflexes of the average Natural."

Simmons looked intrigued, and pleased at the same time. "I just can't believe how quickly you did all that. You're pretty good, aren't you?"

La Flaga, also wearing a mechanic's uniform, turned to her. "Would I be able to get the same performance if I tried it?"

She nodded. "Yes, that is correct, Commander. Would you like to give it a try?"

He started to reply, but Kira sighed, and he closed his mouth, looking at the Coordinator in concern; he'd noticed something seemed to be bothering him.

Simmons, oblivious, keyed the intercom. "Asagi, you can finish up now."

_"Okay!"_

The various occupants of the chamber filed out through the huge metal doors, and Kira turned to Simmons. "Well, I'm gonna make my way back to the Strike now."

She nodded. "Okay; I'll see you later." The engineers and test pilots turned one way, while Kira went the other. He saw Sam, traveling up a zipline on his machine. The Jade Frame had changed a little, as its new packpack, looked like that it had a pack, like that of the M1 Astrays, but had two extra wings, on a horizontal Axess, along with two cannon like features folded on the back of the extra wings.

La Flaga caught up with him in a couple steps. "Hey, Kira!"

He paused; he'd hoped to avoid this conversation, and he was still in shock from Kevin's revelations to him earlier. "What is it, sir?"

"You've got this look on your face that says something's bothering you."

Kira continued walking, the commander just behind him. "I don't have any look," he said evasively.

"Oh, yes you do." La Flaga frowned, concerned. "_And_I hear you turned down the chance to meet with your parents; why's that?" For long moments, there was no reply. "Kira," he prompted.

"If I did meet them, all they would see is a soldier," Kira finally replied, nearing the Strike.

"Hey, kid!" Murdoch hailed him. "I went ahead and boosted the thrusters' output by eighteen percent. Could you check the momentum control parameters for me?"

"Sure." Kira climbed the Strike and dropped into the cockpit, where he immediately began booting up the computers.

La Flaga stood next to the hatch, looking down at him. "You may be a soldier, but you're still the same Kira. I'm sure your parents were hoping they'd get a chance to see you."

There was another long silence. "Day in and day out," he said at last. "This is all I do. I fight battles in mobile suits, and then help out with their development and maintenance. Why? Because I can."

The Hawk of Endymion had never heard the younger pilot talk like that. "Kira..."

His fingers flew over the keyboard. "As soon as we leave Orb, I'll be going into battle against ZAFT again." Images from the last battle, the one where his friend Kevin had died again, went through his mind.

"Well, yeah, but that's-"

Murdoch interrupted again. "About Agni's shielding, I think we've tracked down the scan ring in the magnetic bottle. I want to run a shakedown; it'll be about thirty minutes, so have the Strike ready."

"Right." Once again, Kira's voice was calm, not reflecting his emotions; it was nearly a minute before he spoke again. "I'm afraid that if I met them now, I'd end up asking them why."

La Flaga frowned, confused. "'Why' what?"

Kira's fingers paused over the keyboard. "Why on earth did they make me a Coordinator?" Sam heard the conversation, and pondered just what Kira was so hurt about such a thing. However, he just finished the last bit, as he sighed, and went down to leave. Just as Kira's robotic pet, took off from where he was. "Wait Birdy!" and with that, it flew away.

Outside the Facility

Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, and Athrun had their car parked, as they looked over the facility, that they had no access to. "We have been here for weeks, the legged ship isn't here." Yzak told them.

Nicol nodded, "I am actually starting to agree with Yzak on this one." Nicol said, as Athrun shook his head.

"No, if they went for Alaska, we would of been informed of it by now, by HQ." Athrun told them.

Dearka just smirked. "Could they of equipped their ship with Mirage Colloid, and snuck by us?" he asked, as Athrun caught a glimpse of something flying towards him. It was a green, and yellow mechanical bird which came flying towards them. Athrun, stuck out his hand, to allow the mechanical machine to land on his finger. "Well, it looks like Athrun has a new friend." Dearka commented.

Nicol, looked at the mechanical machine, with much interest. "It's a machine, I wonder who it belongs to?" he asked.

That was when they heard someone, calling for something. They called "BIRDY, where did you go?" the guy they saw, as he looked around for it. Yzak, then noticed someone behind the brown haired youth. It was his short silver haired brother, Sam. With that, unknowingly to the others, both Yzak, and Athrun began walking towards the fence, as did Samorei, and Kira.

Sam had many things going through his mind. '_Just what the heck are they doing here?'_ He asked himself, as he had more focus on his brother. As he noticed the scar, he inflicted upon Yzak before the rendezvous with the eighth fleet.

Kira and Athrun were the first to reach each other. "Is this. . . yours?" Athrun asked, his old friend, the first time, since three years ago, without a weapon between either one of them.

Sam, and Yzak were the same way. "So this is where you have been hiding." Yzak said with a smirk. "Its actually good to see you alive." he told him.

Sam nodded. "As you Yzak." that was when Yzak's face began to look as anger.

"Why Sam, Why the hell are you here? why did you kill Allenby? Why have you not told mother, that you are alive?" Yzak asked his brother. Sam just looked away ashamed, just at the mention of Allen's name.

He just continued to look away. "She threatened my friends lives, and the woman I love's life. I had no choice," Yzak then saw it, the first time, he has ever seen in his brothers eyes. A tear formed, "I am sorry for her demise, if I had a choice, I would of left her on the ground, but my condition." he told him.

Yzak froze, as he knew of such a thing. It has been ten years, since that faithful year of Samorei's horror. "Sam, I'm sorry I forgot about what those damn naturals did to you." he said, as he looked at his brother once again. "Tell me, why . . . you sided with the people that did this to you?"

Sam just smirked at that. "Yzak, Orb is not like the Earth Forces, sure it has Naturals, but they live in peace with coordinators as well. Something George Glenn, wanted." he told him.

Yzak just snorted at that. "Yeah sure, and yellow roses exist."

"Come on you two!" Dearka yelled, getting impatient. He knew, the silver haired person was Yzak's bro, but the other guy, he had no idea who he was.

Meanwhile with Kira, and Athrun. With Athrun, giving the bird back a short while ago. Athrun then turned his back to his old friend to leave, Kira called after him. "An old friend gave it to me." Athrun paused, and he went on, eyes sad. "It's a very valuable gift... from a valuable friend."

Athrun looked back a moment longer. "I see." He resumed walked away.

"Kira!" Cagalli shouted, running as fast as she could to reach the fence. Only to see Athrun leave, as both Kira, and Samorei, watched as Kira's friend, and Samorei's brother walked away.

A/N: Sorry folks for taking so long to update. I have had work problems, camping experiences, and the non mood to write. But I finally got my update down. Please Review, and tell me what you think.


	21. Chapter 21: BLITZ!

Chapter 21: BLITZ!

Yzak, paced back an forth in his quarters onboard, the ZAFT vessel the Cousteau. He was thinking, again about his brother, at that meeting at the facility. "Damn it!" he yelled in the room, punching the wall beside him. "What is he thinking?" he asked out loud. "Just what is he. . .?" he continued, as he tried to go over with what his brother said.

_"Why Sam, Why the hell are you here? why did you kill Allenby? Why have you not told mother, that you are alive?" Yzak asked his brother. Sam just looked away ashamed, just at the mention of Allen's name._

_He just continued to look away. "She threatened my friends lives, and the woman I love's life. I had no choice," Yzak then saw it, the first time, he has ever seen in his brothers eyes. A tear formed, "I am sorry for her demise, if I had a choice, I would of left her on the ground, but my condition." he told him._

_Yzak froze, as he knew of such a thing. It has been ten years, since that faithful year of Samorei's horror. "Sam, I'm sorry I forgot about what those damn naturals did to you." he said, as he looked at his brother once again. "Tell me, why . . . you sided with the people that did this to you?"_

_Sam just smirked at that. "Yzak, Orb is not like the Earth Forces, sure it has Naturals, but they live in peace with coordinators as well. Something George Glenn, wanted." he told him._

_Yzak just snorted at that. "Yeah sure, and yellow roses exist."_

_"_Just what is he talking about, who of that Nation is he so interested in?" Yzak asked himself.

Dearka smirked, as the two shared the same quarters. "Probably one of those pretty girls, we passed earlier that day." he said, refering to the M1 girls, that they passed earlier that day, on the way to the facility. "I bet he could snag one of those beautys pretty easily." he smirked.

Yzak just snorted. "As if, he wouldn't sink that low. He would more like go after that Athha girl, you know the Lioness of Orb." Dearka snorted at the thought, of Samorei being with someone like the person he has heard of that fit that Lioness title.

Meanwhile, at Orb in Onogoro Island, the Jade Frame was being loaded onto the Archangel, through the supervision of Murdoch. As he watched as both the new Raikou pack, and the Jade Frame was loaded onto the ship. While at the Sahaku manor, Sam stood infront of Mina. "What the hell do you mean, your going with the Archangel?" she asked.

Sam just looked down. "I need to speak with my brother again." he pointed out to her. "And now that we have passed through here, he will be ever more to kill me, knowing that the people I was protecting are no longer on the ship." he told her. "So they will be stopping at nothing to attack it. And I don't want you hurt." he told her.

Mina was flustered at the act. "I'm going with you!" she told him, as Ghina shook his head no.

"No Mina." he commented, as Sam and Mina both looked at Mina's twin brother. "Sam, has made his choice, he will go with the Archangel, but to make you feel better, only to the border of the tropic of Cancer, then he turns around, and returns to Orb." he told her, as Mina couldn't help it.

"Alright, Sam Promise me, you will turn around as soon, as the Archangel reaches the tropic?" she asked, as he nodded.

Sam did nod to it, as she was right. The tropic is the border of the Alaskan Airspace. "Yeah, I will return when we arrive at the cancer." he told her, as she nodded.

"Good." she told him. "This war, has done way to much, I wouldn't want to lose you out there. Because remember, I was in the cockpit beside you, more than once." she informed him, as he did know she spoke the truth.

He nodded, "Mina I will come back, don't worry about it." he told her, as he began to leave. Ghina just smirked, his usually smirk, when Mina went running after him.

He just continue to smile. "Such love will end in tragedy, such fools." he told himself.

Meanwhile, in the halls of the Sahaku estate, Mina came running after Sam. "Samorei!" she called, as he was about to turn into his room, to pack a few things. He turned to her, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't want you to go." she told him. "Ever since you left for Heliopolis, everything, went nuts. Ever since that day in January, things have been to hectic." she told him.

Sam just put his arms around her, and lowered his head to her ear. "Mina, I promise you, I will return. I do have one other rule, other than protecting the ones I love. And that is to not make a promise I can't keep." he told her.

Mina just closed her eyes, she always felt safe, when Sam embraced her. "I'm glad, you have changed so much of me, that I like it." she told him.

Sam just smirked. "In ways Mina, you are still the way you were. You care for your people, you care for the nation you are not standing in. And you will do anything to protect it, that is the way you were, and the way you are." he told her. "And that is the person I have sworn to protect." he told her. She just smirked and looked at him. "To cliche for yeah?" he asked her, as they looked at each other.

"As always." with that, the two lips connected with each other.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mansion, Ghina went into a dark room, his room of Avalon, he called it. He went over to his desk, and sat within the chair. "This is Ghina, connect me with the your commander." he said, as on the screen, a brown haired woman nodded. Ghina just tapped his fingers on his desk, until the one he wanted to speak to, came on screen.

"_Banken here._" said the voice of the commander of the S. Martin.

Ghina nodded. "Good, I have a mission for you, and information." he told Banken.

"_I'm listening."_ Banken told Ghina, as it was only his right side, Ghina could see through the screen.

Ghina began, "It seems the Archangel will be leaving the docks soon, are you within the area to intercept it?" he asked, as Banken just nodded. "Good, Samorei will be among them, I want you to take him out, understand?"

Banken smirked. "_Clear as crystal water Ghina. He deserves for some payback, for what he did to the White Frame._" he told Ghina, with a bit of anger in his voice. "_Is Yamato staying behind, or will he also be on the ship?_" he asked.

Ghina nodded, "Your little UC friend, will be on the ship, his friends and he are actual Earth Forces military now." Ghina pointed out, "So they will be with that ship, for a long time, Until Azrael makes one of his idiotic maneuvers." Ghina informed him.

Banken nodded, "_Indeed, such a fool, even though I do admire him for one thing, allowing me to test the Archangel Class, to its fullest extent._" he told him.

Ghina just laughed, "Such a fool, if the Archangel crew found out, about that! They would turn on the Earth Forces, in a matter of seconds!" he called out laughing.

Banken just nodded, "Indeed, however the fool will slip up some time. If he ever met the White Devil again, and mentioned the death of your sister, Samorei will lose all control of his mental state." Banken informed him. "That was the cause of my lost." he told him.

Ghina just smirked at that, "Well, for as long as I've known the man, he is nothing compared to my talents in a mobile suit." he told him, as he then looked at Banken once again. "This time Banken, finish Samorei off, He is messing up my plans." and with that, the screen went black.

Meanwhile on the Tarawa/Splenger class landing cruiser, the S. Martin

Banken smirked at Ghina's comments. "Ghina you are such a fool, thinking Sam is beneath you, that will someday lead to your downfall, especially if anything is ill said about your sister." Banken told himself, as he stood and walked out of his quarters. Upon minutes, he entered the bridge of the ship, to see his crew working on what they do. For them, it has been weaks since the ship setted up its position, within some islands near the nation of Orb. Well out of scanner range of the nation. Even though they were protected by the same jamming system that led to so many questions upon the Archangel, nearly a month ago. "What is the current situation?" Banken asked, as his second in command turned to him.

"Sir, the Vusgolov class submarine has yet to move." The man told him, as Banken nodded. "Should we take them out now?" he asked.

Banken shook his head. "Our mission was never to attack ZAFT vessels, however the Archangel is our target, not them." he told them. '_Besides, ZAFT has no idea we are here, and that last vessel's machines were nothing but cannon fodder.'_ He commented to himself. "Don't worry about that vessel, the Proteus Mobile Armors, those things turn ZAFT underwater Mobile suits into scrap metal." Banken told them. "Once the Archangel is detected we move out!" he ordered.

Archangel, a few hours later:

Sam walked towards the hatch of the ship, as Mina came with him. Mina was in her Orb noble's uniform, while Same sported a white muscle shirt, and black jeans. As the two walked, a woman came up to them, she had shoulder length violet hair, as she wore the Morgenrete uniform. "Miss Stefan, what is it?" Sam asked, as it was actually Yoon Stefan, a young Morgenrete employee, who started about a month after Sam did.

Yoon nodded to the more experienced, and nodded to lady Sahaku. "Lady Sahaku, Mr Lewis. . ." Yoon began. "Miss Erica asked me to give you this, before the Archangel left. Its some work you can do, while you are aboard the ship." she told him.

"Alright thanks." Sam said nodding to her, as she then left, to continue her other duties. Sam just looked at the disc. "I wonder what she wants me to do now?" he wondered.

"Probably design new weapons systems for the M1's." Mina told him, as he looked at her, and nodded.

"Quite Possibly, They are designed after the prototypes, and with the Jade Frame, their back packs, can be interchangeable." he said nodding. Mina just looked at him, as he looked at her. "I'll see you in a few weeks Mina." Sam told her, giving her a peck kiss, on the forehead. With that, the two split apart, as they were right beside the stairway to the Archangel's hatch.

"Just remember to come back to me." She told him, as Sam just nodded.

"Of course, its a rule for me, not to go back on my promises." he told her, as he went up, disappearing within the archangel's structure. Upon entering, he felt he had never left, the mighty white ship.

That was when the Lt. Natarle came up. "Well well, it seems that you liked us a bit to much." she told him with a partial smile.

Sam returned it, "Its good to be back, even if its until we get to Alaska air defence zone." he told her, as she nodded.

Natarle then nodded, to tell him, what she was sent to do. "Your Quarters, are where you and Miss Sahaku slept, during your stay on the Archangel, The Jade Frame, and your new Raikou pack, are also aboard." she began, as she took another breath. "You are to be treated as though a Diplomatic, unless battle ensures." she told him. Sam just shook his head, at what she was saying. "What?" Natarle asked.

He just continued to shake his head, "Natarle, It has been said once before, that the Captain, is above me, no matter what. She can command me whenever she wishes. But as the pilots don't have much to do, I will be in my quarters." he told her, just about to head out, until he turned to Natarle. "Natarle, mind if I get technical data on the Zero, and the Strike?" he asked.

Just then, the blonde haired Mu came and slapped his hand onto Natarle's shoulder. "Why not?" he said, as he looked at Sam. "Its been a while, most of the time at Orb, you were off doing office work." he said with a smirk. "Most Definitely not my kind of job." he continued, looking up, as he said it.

Sam just laughed at such a thing, from the man. "I knew there was a reason I liked hanging around you Mu." he told the commander. "Well, thanks, I need some other work to do while I'm on this ship." he continued, as he then went for his all to familiar quarters. With it, he just dropped his stuff off on the bed, that Mina once slept in herself. This time, he could have the nice bed, as she was no longer aboard.

The Bridge, Archangel:

"At the moment, our chief concern would be Panama," Kisaka said, pointing at a map on Neumann's screen. "Our intelligence suggests ZAFT is planning a _massive_ operation; Carpentaria is buzzing with activity."

Mu nodded, "From what I have heard, that operation you speak of is called Spit Break I believe, it has been rumored for quite a while now." he said with a smirk. "Guess its not as much of a rumor as I thought."

"But this might actually work in your favor," the Orb colonel went on. "After all, you're trying to reach Alaska; this should divert them."

"Besides, once we get past the Tropic of Cancer, we'll be in Alaska's air defense zone," Neumann agreed. "I can't imagine them pursuing us_ that_ far."

"Its also as far as I'm going with you, but you should be safe upon reaching the tropic." Samorei told them, as he was also present.

"How reliable is your intelligence?" Natarle Badgiruel asked.

Kisaka shrugged. "I'm not sure. You see, Orb's in a difficult position: we want intelligence, but we don't want to stir up a hornet's nest."

"Any word on the team that was chasing us before?" Ramius asked.

"No ZAFT ships have been detected near Orb for the past few days."

"Did they give up and leave?"

"I think that's a possibility," Kisaka replied. "Especially after all the discussions on the diplomatic side of things." As he replied, Samorei just thought of a few days ago, the meeting at the fence with his brother.

Ramius nodded thoughtfully, but Badgiruel had another question. "This talk about how former-Representative Athha didn't know anything about the mobile suits and this ship... Can it be true?"

The Captain started to speak sharply. "Lieutenant Badgiruel-"

Kisaka raised a hand, silencing her. "Yes, it's true he didn't know anything about the whole affair," he said, affably enough. "Under pressure from the Atlantic Federation, several Cabinet ministers made the decision on their own, mainly the Sahaku's who supervised the whole thing, and the Seirans who just wanted protection; Morgenroete turned out to be involved as well." He shrugged. "I can understand those who want Orb to declare itself for one side or the other, but if we were to become involved in this war, it would be our people who would suffer the most, like Heliopolis suffered. Therefore, no matter how difficult this position is, Lord Uzumi will always support it." He looked at Ramius. "It's understandable if you find that somewhat foolish."

"So, how are the repairs coming along?" the colonel asked.

"I'm told they'll be finished sometime tomorrow," Ramius replied.

"You only have a little ways to go; hang in there."

The Earth Forces officers and the Orb colonel exchanged salutes, and Kisaka turned to leave. "Colonel Kisaka," Ramius called after him.

He turned. "Hm?"

"I just wanted to thank you, for everything you've done for us."

"You're welcome. But you've helped me as well." Kisaka smiled. "I have no family left there, but Tassil is where I was born. I knew our victory would be temporary, but when I saw what was happening, I had to do something. And with your help, I was able to bring our headstrong runaway princess home. For that, I should thank _you_."

The next day, down in the hanger, La Flaga, Kira, and Murdoch were talking to Tolle, who sat in Skygrasper 2's cockpit. "I'll be fine," he insisted. "I've flown tons of simulations. I can do this!"

"You can't deny we'd be better off with two of these machines in the air," Murdoch commented. "The Strike's handicapped, flying down here on Earth. And the Jade Frame, doesn't help its Handicap a lot."

"But, Tolle-" Kira protested.

"I'll only be a spotter and provide support for the Strike," Tolle reassured him. "I'll be above the battle."

"Are these Lieutenant Badgiruel's orders?" La Flaga asked.

"I volunteered," the ship's copilot said. "I want to help out _somehow_."

Sam shook his head, as he was doing up the OS for the Jade Frame, to fully incorporate the new pack for the machine. "If he wishes to do this, to help his friends, let him." Sam called down. "Mu, all you got to do, is look after the kid, take him under your wing, he may be more helpful than Cagalli, who got shot down, what twice?"

Mu smirked, he forgot about that, but maybe its time the hawk took someone under its wing. "Yeah good point, Tolle stay with me, and don't try anything reckless, got that?" he asked.

Tolle a bit annoyed, but nodded, "Yeah, and I've done okay in the simulators-"

Murdoch shook his head. "So did Miss Athha, but look what happened to her." he commented. With that, Sam could do nothing but smirk at such a thing. A few hours later, the signal within the ship began to stir, as it began to leave the docks of Onogoro Island.

Archangel Bridge:

Repairs were complete and it was time to move on, after twenty-three days in Orb. A restive time, at least, it had given the crew a chance to catch its breath after the numerous battles they had been through since leaving Heliopolis nearly three months before. Being brought along, was Colonel Samuel Lewis, of Orb, who they all knew as Samorei Joule, a good friend, and pilot of the MBF-P04 Astray Jade Frame. As at the time, preparations were made to move out. "Message from the Fleet, Ma'am," Kuzzey reported. "'Looks clear; proceed according to schedule.'"

Ramius nodded. "Send a reply that we acknowledge."

Sai glanced over his shoulder at Tonomura. "They're escorting us out?"

"They're helping us by camouflaging the ship," the petty officer replied. "You see, if we're surrounded by a large number of ships, it'll be that much harder to identify us."

Romero Pal glanced up. "Former-Representative Athha has just arrived at the dock," he reported. "Ma'am, he's requesting that Ensign Yamato and a message from Mina Sahaku for Colonel Lewis to come to the upper deck at once."

Murrue had her eyes widened, at the message then nodded. "Ok, Relay the message." she told him.

A few minutes later, upon the Starboard Gottfried:

Minutes later, Kira and Samorei climbed up onto the upper deck, atop the starboard Gottfried, both of them wondering what was up. Then someone called up at them. "Kira!"

Kira ran to the starboard railing, and his eyes widened in surprise as Cagalli came running toward the ship, in a white uniform, one of that of the Orb Military, and seemed to be of a very high rank, even higher then that of Samorei's. "Cagalli? What are you doing?" he asked.

"Wait! Your parents are here!" she shouted, gesturing. "They're right up there! Look!"

He did, and he saw Lord Uzumi, Kisaka, Simmons... and indeed his parents, watching him from an observation room. His expression turned stricken, while behind him, Sam saw that Mina was also up there, as the two exchanged a nod with each other.

Cagalli climbed out of the hatch behind them, panting for breath. "Why...? Why won't you see them?"

She ran to Kira's side. "Say something, Kira!" Then she saw his face, and fell silent, startled.

"Look, could you tell them sorry, but not now?" he asked, voice a little strained. "I don't think... right now is..." His voice broke, as his eyes filled.

She looked at him for a long moment. "All right."

Kira turned back to the hatch, then looked back. "Take care of yourself, Cagalli, okay? And thanks for everything."

Cagalli watched him go, swallowing hard, then ran forward. "Kira!" He turned just as she flung her arms around his neck, holding him tight and startling everyone who could see it. "Listen... stay alive."

He smiled, returning the embrace. "Don't you worry," Kira said, tears running down his face. "Nothing's gonna happen to me." With this, after Sam, and Mina exchanged nods, he went back down into the ship.

He just smirked, at the thought of Kira and Cagalli, the two seemed to be getting along rather well. However, what he mainly thought, was the threat of the Zala team, that they were sure to meet on the field of battle rather soon. A few minutes later after Cagalli left the ship, the Archangel began to set sail, into the fog. Sam, and Kira both heading for the hangar, both going to the pilots room first. A few moments later, the both came out, wearing their flight suits, heading for the mobile suits.

"Why are you two all dressed for combat?" Murdoch asked, confused. "We haven't received any orders yet."

"As soon as we cross the border, ZAFT will attack us," Kira said, and climbed aboard without another word. As Sam, just said nothing getting into the Jade Frame. This left, Murdoch, and his Mechanics confused, as the hatches closed on the mobile suits. Wondering, just what in the world was going on.

On the Bridge, Ramius was thinking ahead to the battles that no doubt awaited them across the border, though she did not know how close they truly were.

"We're almost at the border of Orb's territory, Ma'am," Neumann reported.

"Very well. Maximum combat speed once we leave the fleet."

"Message from flagship, Captain," Kuzzey reported. "'This is where we turn back. We wish all of you the best of luck.'"

"Reply," Ramius ordered. "'We appreciated your escort.'"

The mighty Orb fleet peeled off, leaving the majestic _Archangel_, pristine once more, to plow through the waves alone. Just as the ship crossed the boundary, Neumann lifted it into the air, soaring over the waves on six fully-functional engines and working levitators.

Tarawa S Martin Bridge:

At the sonar station, the officer turned. "Commander, the Archangel has left the Orb border, and we have detected a Vosgulov class Submarine." he called out.

Banken nodded his head. "Set engines at maximum, have our Mobile Armors ready for combat, if that Sub's Mobile suits come for us." Banken ordered. "I'm heading to the White Frame," he said turning towards his co commander. "Your in charge, make sure we don't get sunk." Banken ordered, as the commander nodded.

"Engines at combat speed, Mobile armors, and pilots on deck, prep the White Frame for combat!" he ordered, as the S. Martin's Engines began to go at full, having the ship, head towards the mighty Archangel class ship.

On the Archangel, things began to go abuzz, as several things began. _"_Something on sonar, Ma'am," Tonomura reported. "Submarine carrier surfacing!"

"Three, no four mobile suits incoming!" Pal reported.

"Roger." Ramius' voice was still calm. "Anti-air, ship and mobile suit attack."

"Deploy smoke dischargers," Badgiruel ordered. "Put out _a _smokescreen on both sides." she ordered. As outside, the GAT-X102, 103, 207, and 303 Gundams were upon subflight machines known as Guuls, each heading towards the Archangel. Within the 102 Duel, Yzak pondered, and hoping that his brother was not aboard the ship.

Athrun on the otherhand, knew Kira would be on the ship. "Alright guys, same plan of attack as last time, we hit them fast." he ordered.

The pilot of the buster nodded, then he noticed that the Archangel began to disperse smoke. "I see they are using a smokescreen now." he mused.

Yzak just snarled at the thought. "Cowards, hiding behind smoke." he mused, as the machines came closer, however unknown to them, the S. Martin was coming in from behind them.

Back in the ship, Miriallia began to order the mobile suits. "Commander La Flaga, and Ensign Koeing to your Skygraspers. Skygrasper one, to Starboard and skygrasper 2 to the Port catapults." she ordered them, as both machines began to be set into their position. Mu's machine was equipped with the Aile Striker Pack, while Tolle's machine was then equipped with the Sword pack.

In the port catapult, Tolle sat in Skygrasper 2, feeling tense. He'd been with the ship through many a battle, but this would be the first time he got right in the thick of it.

_"Don't be nervous,"_ La Flaga advised him._ "Just stay clear and provide support for the Strike from overhead."_

He swallowed nervously. "Y-yes, sir!"

_"Don't get shot down. Let's go!"_

_"Skygrasper Koeing, prepare for launch,"_ Mir called._ "Be careful."_

Tolle was instantly pressed back into his seat as the fighter, armed with his Sword Striker pack, shot into the sky, exiting the smokescreen alongside Mu La Flaga.

Right after they left, the Jade Frame lowered into the port Catapult. Upon doing so, the Archangel's systems, began to install the newly created Raikou pack, onto the back of the mobile suit. The large jade colored piece of machinery connected to the machine, while a beam rifle was added to the right hand, while the standard anti beam shield into the other. "_Sam, the oposition, are the stolen X numbers." _Mir told him. "_Good luck with the Duel._" she told him, as he just nodded.

"Mir, thanks." he told her, as the machine began to power up. "Samorei Joule, Jade Frame Raikou taking off!" he called, as he got the all clear sign, with the machine takeing off. The machine flew thorugh the smoke, out onto the other side, as all four of the new packs wings snapped into position, to form an X, with an horizontal line through it. (A/N: Ok for anyone who wants to know what the machine looks like now, just think of the Red Frame with its flight pack, just in different colors).

Upon seeing the Jade Frame take its colors, the Duel's pilot was shocked. "Damn it, you idiot, why did you have to be here?" Yzak asked himself, as the Jade Frame took flight towards the machines.

Sam took notice to the Duel, as he made sure he knew when to move, as in the Smoke Screen, Kira's Strike, walked onto the deck, as it connected a power cable to its Agni cannon. "Strike here," he reported. "Power conduits connected; auxiliary power online."

"Kira, do you read me?" Tolle called. "I'm sending you the enemies' coordinates."

_Tolle._"Roger that." The targeting scanner moved into place before Kira's eyes, and the crosshairs immediately settled on the spot Tolle's coordinates.

With that, the multiphase energy cannon fired, as it did, the Jade Frame moved out of the way, which caught the Zala team by surprise. "Everyone Scatter!" Athrun called out, as all four of the machines did so.

"Damn it take this!" Yzak called, as he opened fire into the smoke screen, even though if he hit the ship, it would do nothing. He then turned his rifle towards the Jade Frame. "SAMOREI!" he called, as he had the Guul head right for the machine. Sam did not want to test his new weapon out on his brother, so he placed his beam rifle on the Jade's right leg, and drew the beam sabre from his machines left forearm. With instinct, the Duel pulled the same maneuver, with now both machines in a deadly air battle of blades. With this, both Dearka, Nicol, and Athrun now seeing the Duel taking on the Jade Frame, go for the hidden beast in the smoke. As they went, the Strike emerged from the smoke, with its Agni Launcher still in hand. This caught the Zala team by surprise, as the multiphase beam of the Launcher was fired, ripping apart the flight unit, the Buster flew.

"Damn!" Dearka called, as he was bewildered that he has just been taken out of the fight so early. Kira saw, as the Strike feel back towards the smoke, as it began to disappear.

While with the Duel and Jade Frame, the Duel was at a disadvantage, sure he had flight, but he could not maneuver as well as the Jade Frame with its new Raikou pack. As Raikou was the Japanese word for Lightning, it seems that the speed of the Jade Frame was moving a lot faster then it did before. And with two new batterys added on, the machine was able to use it very effectively. "Samorei, why are you here?" he called.

Sam continued, trying to take the Duel down, without killing his brother. "Yzak, the one I wanted to protect may no longer be on that ship, but I still have friends, and you know how I'm like, when it comes down to friends." he told his brother, as the Jade Frame backed away, taking a Railgun shot to his shield.

Yzak shook his head, "Don't be such an idiot Sam, remember it was the Naturals that did this to you." Yzak told him, as the Guul flew towards the Jade Frame, as the two mobile suits had their beam sabres collide.

Sam hardened his attack. "Yzak, it wasn't these Naturals, that did this to me, it was Blue Cosmos, not the Archangel crew." he told him, however unknown to everyone, the Tarawa class ship, was getting closer, and had already launched its only mobile suit.

Banken floated in the air, as he watched the Strike, and wondered, just how Kira will do this, as the Strike jumped into the air, after de attaching his Launcher pack. Mu came over him, as the grasper disconnected its Aile pack equipment, which went onto the Strike. Yzak saw this, and was amazed, the Jade Frame was able to equip more than one of its packs, while the Strike can change its in mid battle, in atmosphere no less. Banken also took note, that it happened during his last encounter with the Strike. "The Strike is nothing to me right now, however the Jade Frame." Banken told himself, looking over the new pack on the Jade Frame. "Now, Sam, this will be no repeat of last time." he said, as the White Frame's thrusters began to go ablaze, as the Mirage Colloid began to wear off.

Archangel:

Sai, began to detect the entity emergeing from its Mirage Colloid. "Captain, its the White Frame!" he called out, as everyone was shocked that he was here as well.

Mir got right on it. "Tolle, Mu, Sam, Kira! Banken is here!" she called, as within the machines, Sam was the first to see it, as he broke off from the Duel, to block the beam sabre of Bankens.

Sai noticed this on his equipment. "Samorei has engaged the White Frame." he called out, as back on the battlefield, Sam now holding his own.

Banken smirked, as he remembered, that Ghina wanted this man dead, and he was the man who could. "Banken! what are you doing here?" Sam asked, as the Duel floated back, only seeing this new machine appear litteraly out of nowhere.

Banken only smirked, "Easy Samorei, I am here for revenge, for what you did to me back in the Indian Ocean." as he backed off, bringing his beam rifle to bare and opened fire, only to have the attacks be negated by the Jade Frames Shield.

Sam just shook his head, "As I thought, from what my impression of you is, that you are one to hold a grudge over a loss." he told him, as the Jade Frame dodged another attack from the White's beam rifle and fired back, to only be deflected by White's shield. Both Machines were ever so nimble in the air, as Yzak just watched.

Even though he was worried for his brother, he wondered just who the heck this guy is. From the conversation he was hearing from the two of them, it is like the two know each other. Banken then said to Sam. "My Impression of you, is just an annoying fly, that should be obliterated." Banken told him, as the thrusters of the machine right for the Jade Frame.

"No you don't!" Yzak yelled, as the Duel fired several missiles, railgun shots, beam shots, and more missiles from his Guul. The White Frame had to dodge all the attacks, while using his shield to deflect the beams. Sam noticed that Banken was more focus on Yzak, so he began to do what he wanted, as the two weapons on the extra wings of his machine, snapped up into place. The White Frame, dodged the attacks, and destroyed several missiles with his shots.

"Yzak MOVE!" Samorei called, as two orbs of purple energy began to glow upon the nozzles of the cannons. Yzak took notice of what was to come, and moved out of the way, as two large purple and white beams fired from the Jade Frame.

Banken had a look of horror, but moved his machine nonetheless.

Meanwhile with Kira, now with the Aile Pack equipped, flew towards the Blitz Gundam which fired its Trikero's lancer dart's at him. Kira however was just to good, he dodged the missile like weapons, and thrusted towards the Blitz, by drawing a beam sabre. As the two machines came closer, the beam sabre of the strike came up, as he knocked away the Trikero's, and then brought the beam sabre upon the right shoulder of the mobile suit. Upon contact, the beam met metal, making what ever it touched into a melted stump, right until the entire right arm of the Blitz was cut off.

Nicol yelled, as his mobile suit's monitors were flashing upon the damage, as the Strike then kicked the Blitz off its Guul, and began to use it. "Nicol!" Athrun shouted, seeing his comrade drop into the sea. He snarled, a sound of pure anger as he brought his own beam rifle up. The two machines of friends began to open fire on each other, as they took flight on Guul's. Both fired at each other, until Kira scored a hit on the Aegis' Guul. The two sets of machines flew at each other jumping from their Guul's before the two flight units crashed into each other, and were destroyed. Athrun full of anger, transformed his machine into its mobile armor mode, and fired off two beams of Multiphase energy cannon. But it seemed the weapons control personel, the port Gottfried opened fire knocking the Aegis out of the sky.

Back with the Jade Frame, the pair of purple and white beams fired from the Jade Frame, as the Duel got out of the way as the two large beams went towards the White Frame. "WHAT?" Banken yelled, as he tried to block the attack, in a brilliant shower of light. However, the beam was actually doing its thing, systems within the White Frame were going nuts, monitors were exploding within his machine. Sure the Shield was taking the most of the attack, but it kept on doing what he did not want. "DAMN, all systems down!" he called, as his machines arms and shield turning into nothing, as the machine began to fall to the sea.

Within the Jade Frame was just a smirk from Sam, as he saw that his cannon was a success, rather than doing damage to the Machine directly, his cannon would tear a mobile suit, apart from the inside out. As he heard Banken's sceams as his machine continued to be damaged from the inside. Banken's flight suit, was being ripped apart, as thousands of glass shards flying around in the cockpit, cutting its occupant in several areas. Yzak just saw in horror, of what kind of weaponry his brother was capable of creating. "Samor. . ." he began, as everyone else, stopped fighting as they saw the almighty weapon that the Jade Frame just unleashed.

"Yzak, take Athrun and the others and leave now!" Sam yelled, as the beam cannons were still ready to open fire on the Duel if need be. However, they took notice of the events on the ground, the Aegis was currently fighting the now re equipped Sword Strike, "Come on and shoot me!" Aegis charged forward, deploying a pair of beam sabers. _"Just like you said you would!"_

_No, Athrun, please,_ Kira thought, barely catching the blow.

"Isn't that what you said before?" Athrun went on. "That you'd destroy me?"

The Strike reared back, then threw a punch at the Aegis' face, knocking it over. The blow knocked out the phase-shift armor. "Athrun!" Kira shouted, raising his giant blade.

Then both pilots turned to look as a shape took form from the air. "Athrun, get out!" Nicol yelled, the Blitz's remaining arm holding a penetrator dart. Time seemed to slow, to the five remaining mobile weapon pilots. The only two that did anything about the oncoming attack. A pair of purple and white beams fired from the Jade Frame towards the ground of the Blitz. The attack continued to become nothing but a slow picture by picture event. The Blitz stopped its attempt as the Beam just crashed infront of the Blitz, while the Strike equally swinging it's massive anti ship sword towards the Blitz, coming through the energy and connecting with the upper chest cavity of the Blitz. Yzak, and Athrun saw in horror, as they saw the Blitz, standing armless, with the anti ship sword sticking into the machine. A second later, the Blitz exploded throwing shrapenel upon the other two occupants of the island.

A/N: Few, sooner than I expected, well the Blitz is destroyed, and it seems Banken may be out of fighting for a bit longer than his last time, but the thing for an annoying bug, they always come back.

Please Review, I actually enjoyed much of this, especially as the Battle is not completely over, the Duel is still in the game, but for how much longer, when Dearka, Athrun, and Nicol have all been taking out of the Frame. Will he stand a chance against 4 enemy machines, and their mothership? We will see in the next chapter.


	22. Chapter 22: The Hidden Strengths

Chapter 22: The Hidden Strengths of Warriors

The field of battle seemed, unknowing, parts of the Blitz, littered the ground area, along with the Strikes Anti Ship sword, having the tip pointing out of the ground. "Nicol" Yzak said shocked, as he saw there was nothing left, and that his brother's machine. The Buster climbed out of the water, and was in time to see what had happened moments ago. "SAMOREI!" Yzak yelled, as he opened fire with all his weapons at the Jade Frame. Sam barely got his shield up in time, to stop most of the attacks, while Dearka saw the Strike.

"You did this you bastard!" Dearka yelled, as he combined his weapon into the 350 mm Shotgun, and fired upon the machine with the shoulder unit missiles. The attacks began to hit the area of the Strike, while the Jade Frame had a flurry of Missiles, Railgun shots, and slashes from beam sabres coming at his machine.

Yzak, was blinded by fury, from what happened, until when the Archangel began to open fire on the two still in working condition machines. "Damn," was all Yzak said, as his Guul was destroyed by gunfire from the 'Legged' Ship.

Dearka cursed under his breath, while Athrun was still in shock of what one friend of his, just did to another, as all that was left of the Blitz, were several large pieces. "Yzak, we got to retreat, we need to regroup." Dearka called out, as the Buster grabbed the Aegis, as the three remaining machines, went for the water, where there Ship layed in wait, leaving the Four machines of the Archangel just watching them go. Also, Sam looked over to where the White Frame fell, to see it being taken underwater, by the Mobile Armors that were under his control.

"Just what is his problem?" Sam asked himself as he looked at his energy, as his Phase Shift went down. "I see, so I am indeed limited to my shots with this new weapon, but other then that, its a great success." he told himself, as Mu came by.

"Come on kid, lets return to the ship." he called out, as Sam nodded, with that the four machines went for the ship. Within moments, Sam lowered on his zipline to the ground below, only to see something he did not know he would see upon a warship.

The Mechanics had swarmed around Kira, to congratulate him, on destroying one of the G-Weapons, which was no small task, even for a G-Weapon. "Stop it!" he shouted, fists clenched and body shaking. "I just killed someone! That's no reason to celebrate!" Kira told them, as Sam just looked in confusion.

'_Does Kira realize he has been killing since Heliopolis?'_ he asked himself, as he himself knew, he has been.

Murdoch looked at Kira with confusion. "Hey, you've been doing this for awhile now; thought you'd be used to it..."

La Flaga thrust aside the mechanics. "Hey, leave him alone, you guys! Can't you see the kid's exhausted?" He held out a hand. "Kira, come on."

Kira ignored him completely and strode from the room; the older pilot shot a dirty look at Murdoch and followed him out into the corridor. Sam followed close behind, he was a soldier, and from his past, he was something more, that would of kept killing.

"They didn't mean to upset you," La Flaga said, coming up behind the young pilot. Kira ignored him, and he tried again. "You know, we all consider you one of us, Kira."

"Yeah, I know that." He kept walking.

La Flaga sighed in annoyance. "_Kira_," he said forcefully, and grabbed his shoulder. "We're _not_ murderers; but we _are_ soldiers." His temper was beginning to rise. "And we're fighting a war here! If you don't get them, they'll get you. That goes for you, for me, for _all_ of us!"

Kira finally looked at him, eyes blazing. "I _know_ that!"

"Get a grip, kid," the Hawk said harshly, "or it'll cost you your life."

"Mu is right Kira." Sam said, causing the two other pilots to jump. "I don't like killing either, but it is something, we have to get over. Remember Kira, YOU have Killed already, remember that, you've killed several ZAFT pilots, and NOW your feeling remorse of it? Remorse is only good when the War is over." he told the younger pilot, to see Flay in the corner of his eyes. And Kira with some anger in his. Kira stared at the silver haired pilot for only a moment longer, then left, body still tense.

"Just what was that about?" Mu asked Sam, who just shook his head.

"Mu, it is something you wont even understand, you see, through a past experience of Mine, was designed to be a weapon, something to cause deaths of many people." Sam explained, as he turned to head to his quarters. "And to be honest, what I just told Kira, was false, he has every right to feel the remorse now, if he didn't he would be considered a Murderer in my books." Sam told him, as he left. Leaving a bewilderd Mu behind.

Sam coasted by Flay, who witnessed the words he said to Kira, and was shocked to hear it, and began to follow. "Sam." she called softly.

Sam stopped hearing youg Allster's voice behind him. "Flay, did you just?" he asked, only to see her nod confirming it. "I see, and before you say anything, I was wrong to speak in that form to Kira." he told her, as she began to walk beside him. "You see Flay, that wasn't really me speaking to Kira at that moment, it was what Blue Cosmos tried to design me for, a killer in a sense." he told her, earning a confused look from the red haired girl.

"What? What are you trying to say?" she asked.

He just smirked, "Something that made Blue Cosmos more of a monster, than what they are originally thought to be as." he told her. "All you ever mainly heard was the acts in killing of coordinators of certain events, however their are many hidden things, that you would not want to know about." he continued, as they walked down the corridors.

"Just exactly, are you?" she asked.

He just smirked, "Something that shouldn't even exist, even though I may be human, what those bastards use to call me is. . ."

"Is what?" Flay asked.

He nodded, "The White Devil."

Later that night, Sam walked into his quarters, looking over the room, he felt tired, because he and Flay talked and walked for several hours, which could get someone tired, especially if he spoke about his personal life. With this, he layed down, within the bed, as he looked up to the ceiling. "So now Flay knows the truth, of my origins, so now that means at least two others know of me in that sense." he told himself refering to both of the Sahaku Twins. However, he then thought of Banken. "I wonder, what is his story, and why Ghina neglected to mention a fifth prototype?" he wondered.

"Excuse me, mind if I come in?" came the Captain's voice. Sam just nodded to himself.

"Sure Captain, its unlocked." he called, as Murrue came into the rather dark room, something she never understood about Sam, is that he had the affinity for a dark sleeping area. "You want something?" he asked as she just shook her head.

"No, not really, its just that I'm starting to worry about Kira, for when we arrive at Alaska." she told him, as Sam thought of what she meant, that he was a coordinator, in a Natural world.

Sam just nodded, "I see what you mean, I know that I'm not something to worry about, as I leave upon reaching the Tropic of Cancer." he smirked, as Murrue nodded.

"Indeed, and you wont let us forget." she told him, with a smile. "I have been meaning to ask, you, what have you thought of me as a Captain?" she asked him out of the blue.

All he did was smirk, "Murrue, you are a far better Captain, than I am as a colonel." he told her sitting up. "Listen to me Captain, you are a very capable captain, who knows how to make the right decision, and unlike many others, actually care about the ones that you are sending out to fight." he told her. "That tells me, you are a very strong person, sure others may think they are strong, but they are not." he continued.

Murrue just smiled at what he was saying. "Samorei, thanks, that is something I like to hear." she told him as he nodded. "So, what exactly are you doing with the data of the Mobius Zero?" she asked. That Sam let a smirk go, as he got up, and sat within the computer chair, by the desk.

"That Murrue, is a special project that I've been working on." he told her. He then brought up, tactical information of the Strike Gundam, and the Mobius Zero. "You see, I have been thinking, as you are here on Earth, the Mobius Zero, could be put to a better use, rather than just being a space occupier, I've been designing a Striker Pack, to take the Gunbarrels, and have them be equipped to a Skygrasper, or the Strike itself." he told her.

"I see, but what of the Gravity, the reason the Zero can't be used on Earth, is that the Gunbarrels can't be used, and that they are the main thrust." Murrue told him, as Sam just nodded.

"I've formulated that, into the Schematics, to give them better thrusters, however even if they can't de attach in Atmosphere, they can be used as additional weapons." he continued. Murrue looked on impressed.

"I see, you enjoy working on mobile suits." she said, as Sam just nodded.

"Yeah, it's my favorite pass time." he told her. Then he let out a long yawn, showing he was tired. "Excuse me Captain, but mind leaving, I'm a bit tired, and I am sure that ZAFT team, wont take the lost of one of their own, lightly." he told her, as she nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, can't have a pilot falling asleep in the cockpit during battle." she told him, as she left the room, with this Sam stretched, and crawled into his bed.

The next day, in the Cafeteria, Tolle, was sharing his experience in the last battle, as not far from the group, was Samorei, eating beside Flay, who has been silent since they talked just yesterday, about Samorei's past. "It wasn't so bad," he was saying. "Sure, it was scary at first, but I kind of figured, if Orb's Princess could do it, so could I." he told them in a proud voice.

Sam smirked as he looked up. "Tolle, you should save telling war stories, until after the war." he said twiddleing around with his glass.

"Why, I'm confident I will come out in the next battle, like I did the last." he said in a proud voice, causing Sam to smirk.

He shook his head, also, "Tolle, there is one thing I know about war, is this. Death comes to the Overconfident. . ." he said, taking a drink. "Remember that." he continued.

"Samorei, you shouldn't be saying that." Mir told him, as he shook his head.

"Remember Mir, when someone steps onto the battlefield, they become a target, and that goes for all of us." he told her, as he then walked out of the room. '_These words, even go for me.'_ he told himself. He turned for the Hangar, the death of the blitz pilot, would not sit well with the G pilots. Especially his brother.

As he walked down the hall, he noticed Kira coming out of his quarters, and saw Sam. "Hello Sam." Kira said, still remembering the words the Jade Frame's pilot told him, yesterday.

Sam nodded to Kira. "Kira, I wanted to. . ."

"Sam, you are right. I never actually felt remorse about the other people I've killed when protecting the Archangel." he began, sounded sad-end. "The only reason why it hit me is that beside on Heliopolis. Everyone that died until now, I never thought of. But now destroying the Blitz, Athrun and the others will be out for vengeance."

Sam nodded in agreement. "More than vengeance, but for blood, our blood." he agreed. Kira turned to Sam, and took note of the concern on the Orb pilot.

"You are thinking about your brother aren't you?" Kira asked, him, as Sam just turned his head, and nodded. "Don't worry, I'm thinking of someone I think as my own brother." he told him.

Sam smirked with that comment. "So, you see Athrun as a brother. . ." he began thinking. "Then in a way, I guess we are in the same situation."

Kira nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I wonder what will they do to us, next." he wondered as Sam just shrugged.

"Well I don't know, but I was heading to the Hangar, to work on Jade." Sam told his younger friend, and continued on. "I will see you later my friend." and with that, he left.

Kira looked on, as he rubbed his head, watching Sam, walk down the halls, until a familiar voice, came from behind. "Kira." and the voice was Flay's.

Kira turned to see her. "Flay?" he asked as she looked at him. "What's wrong?" he asked. She seemed almost completely saddened.

"Its nothing, its just that." she began bringing her left hand to place on her right arm. "It's just that, even though we are no longer together, I still see you as a good friend, and as a friend, I'm worried, for the both of you." she told him. "Actually not both, I'm worried about all four of you, as Tolle is a pilot now."

Kira just looked at her a bit confused. "Worried about what?" he asked her.

"Kira, this is war, there is always a chance you wont come back to us." she told him. "Sam told me, that you have your best friend out there fighting you, while he has his brother."

"He told you that? What else?" he asked her.

She seemed almost scared to say, what Sam explained to her, just yesterday. "Sam is like a brother to me, his life, has been so hard for him. However I promised him, that I wouldn't tell anyone." she told him, looking away.

"Flay, I understand if you don't want to talk about Samorei's past." He began, as the battlestation alarm, began to go off.

"_Everyone to Level One Battle Stations, I repeat, Everyone to Level One Battle Stations._" And before Flay knew it Kira was running to the hangar.

"Please, everyone be safe." She said, watching Kira run down the halls. Down in the hangar, Sam was already fighting ready, as he was being raised to the cockpit of his machine.

"Damn, why now of all times, we are getting so close to Alaskan Airspace." Sam mentioned to himself, as the Archangel flew over the archipelago of islands, as a Vusgolov class Submarine was detected, obviously the Cousteau.

However, unknown to the Archangel, Banken was standing on the deck of the S. Martin. Upon his face, was a scar going over his left eye. Along with another on his cheek, in the sign as an X, with one line longer than the other, going towards his jaw. Infront of him, the deck of the Tarawa class ship began to open. "This is the last time, we can attack the ship, before Alaska." he told himself. From the opening of the ship, a black and red Proteus Mobile armor began to rise from below. He felt the scar over his eye. "Samorei, you may have gotten me once." he began remembering the shot from the Electromagnetic Cannon of the Jade Frame's. "You wont again, this time, I will destroy you." he said, walking to the head of his mobile weapon. Jumping up, he landed in the cockpit of the machine, as the canopy went down. The machine had many screens appear infront in holographic format. This certain Proteus was different, more advanced, and more tech put on it. Two more of the mobile armors, in standard color's came up beside this machine.

"_Commander Banken, the Vusgolov carrier just launched the remaining three stolen G-weapons_." The communications officer informed her commander.

Banken, mainly fiddled with his equipment, this may be his custom unit, but it was his first time, to use it. "Alright, what of the Archangel?" he asked.

"_They are going through Launch Preparations first_." She told him.

With that, the tyrant lizard look of the Proteus Mobile Armor, stood showing what the machine looked like. Like the others, it was like them. However the two large wing like shoulders, were on the side of the machine. The other two began to move as well, as the machines began to chatter, as though they were of the living. "Alright, I'm off." he called out, as his machine jumped into the water, as two rods from the shields extended, as the water, began to be pushed out of the machines way, increasing the speed of the machine in the water.

On the Archangel, the Jade Frame, landed on its catapult, as the Raikou pack, was connected to the mobile suit. In the Catapult over, the Strike, in its, Aile form, was ready for launch as well. Both pilots were nervous, they were about to fight a team full of rage for vengeance. And Sam personally knew, just how vengeance can bring the monster out of anyone. As in his mind, he heard the screams of children, as he cringed at such thoughts. "Alright Sam, there is no reason, to think of back then." he told himself.

"_Sam, Kira!"_ Mir's voice called on the radio.

"_What is it Mir?_" Kira asked, from over in the Strike.

"_I thought, I'd give you your opposition. The Duel, Buster, and the Aegis, all on Guul's"_ She told them.

Sam, hit the switches of his machine, having the power to be ready. "Alright, thanks Mir. Jade Frame is ready to launch."

Mir nodded onscreen. "_Alright, Jade Frame, Strike you are both clear for launch._" she told them, as the two pilots nodded.

"Jade Frame heading out." Sam called.

"Strike Gundam, moving out." Kira called out, as the two machines flew off, changing from their slate gray color, to their customary colors. Both heading off towards their enemies, and in their terms, brothers. However, under the waves, three mobile armors made their approach on the Cousteau. While in the hangar, Mu's Skygrasper, just got done being prepped with the Strike's Launcher pack.

"Mu La Flaga, taking off." He told them, as the Skygrasper launched, as the three machines, went for the three machines. Which also, did not know, another three were heading their way.

The Buster, Duel, and Aegis went for the Archangel's machines, full of rage in their eyes. "Today, the Archangel goes down." Athrun told them, as he then whispered. '_Even though Kira is my friend, he will pay for killing Nicol."_ he thought.

While in the Duel, Yzak had similar thoughts, of the Jade Frame pilot. "Samorei, you will pay, for helping cause such pain. Pain to mom, to the Amalfi's, and to me. Today, will be the day, I take you down." he told himself, as the three Machines flew in the air.

"Dearka, you take the ship, and their mobile armor. Yzak, you take Sam. I have the Strike." and with that, for once with Athrun's orders, all the pilots agreed on such terms. The Duel and Buster, were the first, to open fire, as both fired missiles from their shoulder units, causing the Archangel's machine's to break formation. Each going for their regular opponents. The first two to engage, were the Duel, and Jade Frame, as both machines opened fire at each other, with their beam rifles, as each one were getting hits, on the others shield.

"Samorei!" Yzak yelled, as his beamrifle spat its emerald energy, only to be stopped by the Jade Frames shield. "You caused a friend of mine to die, I will not forgive you for that!" he yelled, as the Railgun opened fire, causing a dent in the shield of the Jade Frames, do to it's lack of Phase shift.

"Yzak, we never meant to kill the Blitz's pilot. We knew, whoever it was, was important to you." Samorei told him, as his two cannons locked into position.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Dearka called, as he connected his two weapons together, to form the 94 mm sniper rifle, and fired, the Jade Frame dodged barely, however its wing was clipped, losing its stability, and one of the cannons. "Yzak go, he will have a hard time firing that cannon now." he told Yzak, as the two machines split, with Dearka going for the Archangel. Sam, then landed on a Island below, and turned to see the Duel, jump off the Guul, having it go for the ground, and crash into the Jade Frame. Whilst it opened fire with its Railgun, hitting the Guul, causing its explosion, and fireing on the beam rifle, with its beam rifle, destroying, the one the Jade Frame carried. Sam had the Jade Frame open fire, with its CIWs at the Duel, destroying its beam rifle. But that didn't get rid of all the Duel's ranged weaponry, as it opened fire with its Railgun, and Missiles.

Meanwhile, Kira flew for the Aegis, as the two machines, took on each other in mid air. "Kira, you will pay for Killing Nicol!" Athrun called, as the two machines fought, in the air. While unknown to all of them, the three Mobile Armors, made their approach on the Cousteau.

"Today, will be the day, that I finish off the rest of the G-Weapons." Banken told himself, as he and the other mobile armors opened fire with their several missiles onto the Cousteau. "The two of you, take this thing out, I'm going to the surface." he ordered, as his machine took off towards where the climatic battles happened. As above the waves, Dearka took a shot, with his 350 mm shotgun, at the Archangel, severely damageing the engines.

"One more and your going down." Dearka said, as he got ready for another shot.

"I don't think so." Mu said, as he opened fire, destroying the right arm, and leg, of the buster, with the Agni's multiphase energy cannon. Dearka however, was able to give off a shot, with his remaining weapon, damaging Mu's Skygrasper, sending the machine to the ocean surface. "Damn, out of the fight already." he cursed, as he then saw a shadow within the water. "What those unit's again?" he asked himself, as he saw the Archangel, hit the Island, where the Duel and Jade Frame, had a clash of beam sabres. "Sam, Kira, you may have some company coming in." Mu warned them.

Sam, parried another blow from the Duel's beam sabre, as both machines held one sabre, and their shield, as they were both in heated combat. "What? Repeat that Mu?" Sam called out, until the side of his unit, was hit by two missiles.

"What the heck?" Yzak called, as he saw the culprit that hit the Jade Frame. He saw the predatory like mobile armor, on the land, roaring at him. "Well now, a new experience." he said, turning towards, the machine, as in the cockpit of the new arrival, Banken smirked.

"So, the over eager, brother is here as well. Nice, I can take out two Joule's at once." He said, as he let loose hell fire, from his missile launchers and beam weapons, even the experimental phonon Maeser. Yzak jumped out of the way of the attacks, as did Samorei. And with this, a three way battle began between the three pilots. Meanwhile between Kira and Athrun, Athrun jumped off his Guul, and lets it ram into Kira, firing at it to destroy the machine. With this, their were five machines on the Island below, while the Buster, was down for the count.

In the cockpit of the Buster, Dearka ran diagnostics, frantically trying to get his machine on its feet. "Engine output down... hydros damaged... No!" And with that, he realized, he was doomed, as the beam cannon known as the Gottfried, aimed right at him. He saw only one way of survival, as his cockpit opened. He climbed out, with his arms in the air.

On the ship, Natarle was bewildered, that the pilot of the Buster was surrendering to them. "Is he surrendering?" she asked, out loud. However, Samorei jumped out of the way, of a Phonon Maeser beam, of the customed version of the Proteus Mobile Armor, while Yzak sliced at the machine to only be dodged.

"Damn, stay still." Yzak called out, as he fired several missiles at the mobile armor, only to have them destroyed, by beam gun fire. Which caused Yzak to use his anti beam shield to protect him.

"You are so much easier to fight than your brother." Banken smirked, as his machine came running towards the Duel, only to be tackled by the Jade Frame. "Damn, I hate you." he said, as his machine crashed into the side of a cliff side, as it shaked it off. "Lets see how you handle this." he told them, as the mobile armor, vanished, under the cloak of Mirage Colloid. As this continued to happen, Kira, and Athrun fought, in a duel of beam sabres, each an equal at this time, as they were at the same power level, with their energy, as the last time, the Strike had more power do to changing its packs so often in that battle. While with Duel and Jade Frame, the two were back to back, wondering just where the Mobile Armor could be, and when would it strike.

Yzak, still edgy that an enemy was back to back with him, but at this time, he and his brother were allies. "Yzak, you need to follow my lead on this. I've worked with this pilot, he is the one that designed the Blitz's best feature." Sam told him.

"Yeah, a cowards Feature." Yzak told him, as he saw beams become to emerge from his right, and Sam's left. "Sam, move now." he told him, as both Machines dodged the attacks.

"It may be a cowards way to fight, but its also a tactical advantage on the battlefield." He told his brother. He thought, of what weaknesses he knew of Mirage Colloid, and thought of one main one. "Lets move for the water, cloaked objects, lose their stealth abilities, when in the water." he called, as Yzak nodded. Both the Machines went for the water. Whether it was a good Idea, or bad, is hard to tell. As they saw a splash, as the Mobile Armor landed within a few meters away from the Mobile suits.

"Samorei, you will pay." Banken told them, as his machine became visible again. However, Yzak got the alert, the Cousteau, was just destroyed, by enemy fire. "hmmhmhmhm, so my men finally took out that sub." he said, as all of a sudden, two more mobile armors, emerged from the water, roaring at the Jade Frame and Duel. "This is the day, when we finally destroy all of you. All the threats, to the main game, will finally be taken out." Banken ranted. "Now, Sam, this is for the Destruction of the White Frame!" he yelled, as the three Mobile Armors opened fire, two with Plasma Cannons, while the other was a beam. The two Gundam's jumped out of the way, while Yzak swung his Railgun around, taking out the leg, of Banken's own unit, as Sam Jumped in the air, with his remaining cannon locking into position. A Purple and white beam was fired from the Jade Frame, engulfing the two grounded Mobile Armors, wasting their electronic systems, and melting away most of the exoskeleton of the mobile suit. The two machines landed on the land, as Banken cursed, as his machine could no longer stand. "God, I hate him." he said, as his machine crawled into the water, to retreat. Sam turned to the Duel.

"Alright, Yzak, time to get back to what we were doing." Sam told his brother, as he began to charge at the Duel. Yzak ducked under the first attack, to shoulder tackle the chargeing Jade Frame.

"I will show you what pain, you put me and mom through!" Yzak yelled, as he then took his beam sabre, and slashed off the left shoulder and remaining Electromagnetic Cannon from the Jade Frame, along with that arm. Sam was now left with one arm, and sabre, as he brought that sabre down upon the Duel's head, slicing off the metal. "For our pain Sam, you will die, By my hand!" Yzak yelled, as Sam shook his head, as the Jade Frame's eyes, glowed ghostly white.

"No, Yzak, I promised someone I would return to them!" He yelled, as his Machine jumped over the Duel, with a flip, with his beam sabre, searing through the two legs, of the Duel.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!" Yzak yelled, as his Machine fell into the fresh mud from the now pouring rain, of the Rainstorm, that had just came from overhead.

"Yzak, remember this, that you wont beat me, inside a mobile suit, face to face, may be something else, but never in something that I can become part of." Sam told his brother, as he took notice, of the Strike's and Aegis battle, as beam sabres connected once again. However, out of the corner of Sam's eye, he saw a Skygrasper, and he already had noted, Mu went down, so that ment. "Tolle." he said, as he took flight, now with even distribution, he was able to fly a bit more stable than what he did. The Strike, and Aegis were both reduced to beam sabres, and words as weapons.

Kira!" Athrun shouted, blade swinging.

"I'll destroy you!" Kira's blade blocked the flurry of strikes, and for a moment they stood motionless, blades locked.

With this, Skygrasper came in, firing many emerald beams from his machines guns, at the Aegis, only to be stopped by its shield. "Kira!" Tolle yelled, as he came in towards the two friends at battle.

"Tolle, no, stay back!" Kira warned him frantically. As the Aegis, began to do what Kira was afraid of. As the Aegis leapt away from a missile attack, reared back, and flung its shield at the lightly-armored fighter. Tolle stared in horror, as the shield came flying towards him. While not far, Sam re routed all power of his machine into thrusters, as his phase shift went down. The now gray version of the Jade Frame, was fast enough, as the Shield impaled, the upper body of the Jade Frame. In the cockpit, Sam ducked just enough, to only to have the back of his helmet be sliced from the attack.

The Jade Frame, slowly went back, as it crashed into the Skygrasper, destroying it, in sheer weight. Yzak saw the damage done, as he climbed out of his machine, to just see, as the Aegis' shield impale his brothers machine. Kira then called out. "SAM, TOLLE!" he yelled, as the Jade Frame, fell to the earth below where it once was. While on the Archangel, Miriallia, looked on in horror, as both the Skygrasper, and Jade Frame's Signal was lost.

Kira felt, an unparrelled rage within him, as his head raised, with his mind clear, as his seed had shattered.

The Strike leapt into the air, its pilot no longer bound by sanity. "Athrun!" The Aegis successfully blocked the first strike, but the second lopped off its left arm.

Forced back, Athrun, too began to change. "I'm gonna..." His mind went crystal clear as the emerald green seed shattered within his mind. "Destroy you!"

_The next several moments were snapshots of destruction: the Aegis returned the favor by taking off the Strike's left arm, and then Kira stabbed through the Aegis' right eye, taking the entire head off and leaving it mostly blind._

Time resumed its normal flow as the badly damaged Aegis flung itself at the Strike, all three remaining beam sabers active, and switched to mobile armor mode. The three claws still left to it grappled the Strike, and the hyper-impulse cannon known as Scylla began to glow...

Then the glow died, and Athrun glanced down at his displays. The Aegis had run out of power, phase-shift going down, no weapons left. He was helpless, and the Strike, still powered, was beginning to recover.

Locked in his madness, Athrun took the only option left. A panel slid out from the right arm of his seat, and he punched two-eight-eight-seven into the pad there. Instantly, a red display lit up on the instrument panel, showing a countdown to Aegis' self-destruction. That done, Athrun bailed out. Down below, Sam was actually crawling out of his machine, to just see Athrun bail out of the Strike. Then the Aegis was engulfed in a glorious light, engulfing first itself, then the Strike, as the shockwaves came for Sam. His body was tossed, like a feather in the wind, as he was sent smashing through a few trays, until one finally stopped him.

That was when everything was silent, besides a few tears, of one lone red head, who saw what just happened through a viewport window, as a lone tear went down her cheek.

A/N: The final battle of the Aegis, Strike, and the Jade Frame has finally ended. Banken was defeated, but will be happy to see, and learn of the destruction of his target. Now very soon, everything, of questions about Samorei's past, will finally be told.

Next time, the UE


	23. Chapter 23: Promised Land

Chapter 23: Promised Land

Mu, got back to the ship, with his damaged Skygrasper, as not far from him, the now POW ZAFT soldier, and the Buster were in the hangar. Still shakened from the sudden explosion, he came over to the intercom. "Captain, what just happened, what caused those shockwaves?" he asked to the bridge, as on it, everyone were in shock with what had just transpired, within less than three minutes.

Murrue, on the bridge, looked off over the island, as she was shocked herself. The Signal of three machines were completely missing. "I don't know." she answered. "All I truly know, is that we have lost the signal, of the three other machines."

Mu's eyes, were widened, as he looked away. "_All three, damn!_" he said, punching the wall.

Down in the CIC, Mir snapped out of her shocked trance, and got on the radio. "Kira, Tolle, Samorei!" she called franticly. "Can any of you hear me?" she called for them.

Natarle closed her eyes. "It's useless, Crewman Haw," she said quietly. "It won't do any good they have to be listed MIA." She hit an override on her own console, closing the radio circuit.

_"Shall I list her as MIA, Ma'am?"_

_"What does 'MIA' mean?"_

_"It's a military designation that stands for Missing In Action" Jackie told them from behind._

_"But what it really means it that we don't think they'll be coming back."_

"What's the Strike's last known location?" Murrue asked, suddenly very tired.

"An island slightly to the south of our current position," Sai replied. "That was... the epicenter of that explosion..."

She closed her eyes in pain. "Prepare to-"

"Wait!" he interrupted, eyes glued to his displays. "Captain, we have three DINNs incoming!"

Murrue looked up. "How long till they reach us?" she demanded.

"Only a few minutes, at this rate."

She nodded. "Then prepare to intercept."

"Not possible," Natarle interjected. "In _Archangel_'s current condition, we have no chance of intercepting three DINNs; and none of our machines are operational."

"But... we can't just abandon them!" Sai protested. "What if they _did_ manage to escape somehow?"

"How long would it take us to reach the Strike's location?" Murrue queried swiftly. "Could we get there before those DINNs-"

"Captain, it's too risky!" Natarle protested. "We have this entire ship to worry about, and the lives of everyone aboard!"

The Captain's eyes flashed. "I will not abandon them!" she told them.

Natarle looked at her captain with a stern look. "Captain, are you willing to let their sacrifices be in vain. It's because of them, we have a chance to leave now, do you want them, to have fought for nothing, everything we went through, for nothing?" she told her captain, who just looked on in shock. "Captain!" she said, as the DINN's were getting ever closer.

Murrue closed her eyes again, unable to face the reality of what she was about to order. "Very well," she whispered. "Get us out of here. But send a distress signal to Orb, along with the coordinates of that island; let them do what they can."

"Orb?" Natarle frowned. "But... that nation is-"

"I will take full responsibility!" the Captain told her. " Remember, Sam and Mina Sahaku are close, she will surely lead a search party. Now carry out my orders!" she told her.

"DINNs closing fast, Ma'am!" Sai called. "Less than thirty seconds-"

"Activate backup levitators, and boost engines to maximum thrust!" She looked grimly out the viewports. "Our number one priority is to evacuate the area!"

"And the DINNs, Ma'am?" Natarle persisted.

Murrue shook her head. "Banken was there, they will be more worried about his ship, they will stop before they reach us, now take us out of here Arnold." she told him, as the ship flew off.

A while later, in the Hangar, Mu cursed several times under his breath. Three kids, could not be found, as his anger grew, until he saw the lone Miriallia. He saw, that his anger was nothing, compared to what she must be going through.

Confused, he watched as Mir slowly looked up, and caught sight of the Skygrasper simulator Tolle had run through so many times before his death. With a strange look in her eyes, she suddenly started running toward it; though what she hoped to find, the Hawk, didn't know.

Whatever it was, she clearly didn't find it there. After glancing into the mock cockpit, she slid slowly to her knees, eyes tightly closed.

Mir didn't even look up when Mu approached; but she heard his slow footsteps. "Where's Tolle?" she whispered. "He isn't here..."

He started to reach out to her, but stopped, as grief and frustration grew. Snarling wordlessly, Mu La Flaga instead slammed his fist into the side of the simulator. _Why is it always the kids who buy it?_

he raged at the world at large. _Why?_

Mu didn't have the answers to that. No one did...

At Orb, six VTOL aircrafts take off, with certain faces known within them. On one plane, Rondo Mina Sahaku with a worried face, led half the planes, to the islands. Within these plane, Colonel Todaka, and now Private Ahmed, were among some of the soldiers heading to these islands. While another set of planes, were being led by Colonel Kisaka, with Cagalli right beside him. A few hours later, the planes began to land upon the islands, all of them, not far, from what they saw of the mobile suits in question. Cagalli emerged from hers taking off her helmet, to see what had become of the GAT-X105 Strike. "No." she said, seeing the carnage, and jumpd down running for the Strike.

"Lady Cagalli!" Kisaka called after her. However, when she reached the Strike, the cockpit's seat, was melted away.

"No, Kira." she said looking at the seat. "Did you get out intime?" she asked.

"CAGALLI!" Ahmed's voice called as she turned to his voice's origin. "We found someone!" he called.

She ran across the sands, to where Ahmed was, a ZAFT red, was washed up on the shore. "Is it Kira?" she asked, worried, to see Ahmed shake his head no. They turned the battered soldier over, as Cagalli had a fright, it was that guy, she met on the Deserted Island.

On another part of the Island, Rondo Mina Sahaku, approached that of a heavily damaged Jade Frame, which still had an impaled Aegis Shield, sticking out of it. "No." she said in horror, seeing what carnage the shield had inflicted. She turned to her people, and all of them, were the clones of Samorei. Every one of them, "GO, Scan the area, I want Sam found, dead or alive." she said, as the five clones split up, to find their original. "Preferably alive." she said, climbing onto the Mangled Jade Frame. She kneeled to look in the cockpit, there was nothing there, besides a large hole, where the head of the pilot would be.

"Lady Sahaku!" Samuru called, as she turned. "We seem to have found one of the others they asked us. Its Tolle." he called, as she turned.

"Good, take him to the plane, get him patched up!" she ordered, as Samuru, did just that, while the others continued to search. Azure walked the area searching a bunch of broken trees.

"Has our queen's jack, finally bite the dust?" he asked walking, following a trail of broken limbed trees. That was when, he felt a warm liquid on his finger tips, as he streamed his finger across a branch, and saw, it was a dark red thick liquid. "I just hope, that his heart, did not fall for the spade." he said, following the trail, knowing his original was wounded, from the blood he found. That was when he saw him, most of his jade uniform, was now soaked in dark red. "Damn. " He said, reaching for his radio. "Savir, lock onto my location, and bring in a air lift."

"_Azure, why, what is the problem?_" Savir replied, as the conversation, could be heard through the Sahaku forces radio's.

"I've found Samorei, I need an Airlift, he is in bad condition." Azure replied, as he slid, to beside Sam. He was unconcious, from the looks, as Azure, looked for a pulse to make sure. "Thank god, your alive." He said, taking off, his uniform, to just his clothing underneath. He ripped the uniform to shreds, and began to patch up, and hopefully stop some of the bleeding. He noticed several wounds, upon his left shoulder, was shrapenel damage, and his entire right side, was bleeding from splinter damage, from the trees he crashed through. He saw the arm, and knew right then, it was broken, as well as the right leg. "Shit." he said, as he continued to patch up, the worst case bleeders. "Just how the hell are you still alive?" he asked, the motionless body. "Oh right, you can't speak right now." he said with a smirk, as he began to hear a plane overhead. He grabbed, a gun, with a rather large barrel and fired to the sky. What he fired was a flare, which was seen, and the VTOL craft appeared overhead.

Both, Saxten, came down on a line, as Saxton was riding the stretcher, maneuvering it around the trees. Upon its landing, they carefully began to move the unknowning boy onto the stretcher. "Shit, what the hell happened?" Saxton wondered, as he looked at the path that Sam's body made.

Azrue looked at him in anger. "It doesn't matter," he said reaching for his radio. "Savir, get us to Orb, otherwise I will club you!" he called, as the stretcher began to lift, as the three clones, kept it steady, with Saxton on the side of it, while Azure, and Saxten were connected to the lines.

Saxten got on is radio. "Lady Sahaku, we have found Sam, we are taking him to Orb now." he told her over the radio.

As on the ground Mina nodded, and turned for the plane, she was in. Upon entering she turned to the cockpit. "Take us home now!" She ordered, as the pilot nodded. "Also get on the radio, I want both the Strike, and the Jade Frame's remains taken to Orb immediately!" she ordered, as the pilots nodded.

In the ocean, the Tarawa class cruiser sailed in its waters, as Banken walked on the bridge. "So, I wonder if they found any survivors?" he asked no one in particular. He then turned to the helmsman. "Take us to Heavens Base, we can't do anything else to the Archangel." And with that, the ship changed course, towards Panama, and its Panama Canal.

On the Orb Aricraft, Cagalli was aboard, and where the batter Athrun Zala layed in a bed, bandaged. With a IV in one arm, and the other bandaged, as was his chest. Awoke slowly, and confused of his surroundings, while feeling a bit drowsy.

"I see you're finally awake," Cagalli said coldly from the other side of the room. Within her right hand, she held a semi automatic pistol, and this time Athrun couldn't move like he could back on the Island, where he saw this girl last. "Currently, you're onboard an Orb aircraft. We found you lying on the beach, and we decided to bring you with us."

"What does Orb want with me?" Athrun asked, eyes narrow as he then smirked, remembering that she was with the Archangel, last time he heard her voice. "Or am I in the custody of the Earth Forces?" he added with a smile.

"You know better than that," she replied. She leaned toward him, as he wondered just what she was doing.

"There's something I have to know. Were you the one who destroyed the Strike?"

Athrun was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head. "It was me," he whispered.

Cagalli felt as if someone had punched her. "What happened to the pilot?" she demanded. "Where's Kira?" she asked him. "We couldn't find him anywhere, Where is he?" she asked.

Athrun, had images, just of the last few seconds of that last battle. "He's gone." Athrun began to tell her. "Because I killed him, taking his life." His eyes vanished into shadow. "That's right, I did. I pinned the Strike with my Aegis, then blew up; I don't see how he could have survived."

She grabbed his collar, stuck the gun against his chin, then slammed him down on the bed. _"Murderer!"_ Cagalli turned away and slammed her fist into the wall, enraged and grief-stricken beyond words. "It's not fair!"

Athrun pushed himself back up. "By why... am I still alive?" His eyes saw the recent past, not the wall in front of him. "I guess it's because I got out just in time." Cagalli suddenly whirled and pointed the revolver at him again. "Or maybe... _you're_ destined to finish me," he finished sardonically.

"Kira... took too many risks," she burst out, "didn't always know what he was doing, and always cried! But he was kind! _He was a nice guy!"_

"Yeah, I know," Athrun said with a quiet chuckle. "Sounds like Kira hadn't changed a bit."

Cagalli's eyes widened. "You knew...?"

"He was a sentimental crybaby," he said, mind on the past. "And he was smart, but he didn't think things through."

"It seems you were quite close."

He nodded. "Yes, we were... close, ever since the days when we were kids. It was the two of us, Kira and I. We were best of friends once... though, that changed, upon that one day"

"That's crazy!" Cagalli blurted. "If you were such good friends, how...?"

Athrun looked away. "We parted as friends, and when we met again, we were enemies." He remembered their battles, and suddenly he looked her in the eye again. "I tried to convince him to join us, over and over! He was a Coordinator, understand, that's where he belonged! But he just wouldn't listen!"

"But why, But why your best friend?" She asked again.

"Don't you get it? He wasn't on my side anymore! I had no _choice_ but to kill him!"

"You idiot! How could you come up with something so stupid?" Cagalli grabbed his shirt. "How could you do something so terrible?"

"He killed Nicol right before my eyes!" he shouted. "Nicol was fifteen; he loved the piano! He only fought to protect the PLANTs and Kira just cut him down!"

"Kira only fought to protect others, too," she sobbed. "But that doesn't explain why he had to pay with his life! And at the hands of his best friend!" As Athrun, too, began to break down, she continued relentlessly. "Someone's killed for killing another, but then that guy is killed for killing him? How is that twisted kind of thinking ever gonna bring us peace?" she asked him in tears.

With that, the two shed tears, upon a common lost friend.

Onboard another plane. Mina came into the same kind of room Athrun and Cagalli were in. She saw Sam, and had the fright of her life, seeing him in such a condition.

A few days later, the Massive Archangel sailed into the waters, of the Alaskan base JOSHU-A. It began to get an air escort, of a group of Spearhead planes. Murrue, and the bridge officers let out a sigh of relief. "We finally made it." Romero said, as Murrue nodded. However, she was saddned, she was hoping to be saying goodbye to Samorei, on this day.

"_Captain!_" Murdoch called, on the intercom.

"What is it?" she asked.

"_Its commander La Flaga, he is insisting on leaving the ship, to search for Kira Tolle, and Samorei!_" he told him, as Mu, pushed Murdoch out of the way.

"_Come on Captain, you know I'm the only one that can even possibly have a chance of finding them._" He told her, as he turned to the Mechanics. "_Well hurry up, and finish with the repairs!_" he ordered.

"No Mu, you are not going out!" she told him, earning a protesting look. "The Skygrasper, is our best defence right now, we can't tell, whether Banken will attack, as his ship could easily sneak into Earth Forces territory." she told him, earning a nod.

"_All right."_ he said hurt, that he couldn't go out.

Elsewhere on the ship, Natarle came up to Flay, who knew already what has happened. "Excuse me crewman Allster." Natarle began, seeing Flay like this. Natarle handed the teenager a box. "Please, go gather Kira's things." she told the young girl. Flay just stared at it with a saddened face. "Also, please, gather Samorei's things as well. Lady Sahaku, would appreciate it, if we gave her his things." With that, Flay walked, almost as though she was in a trance, until she entered Samorei's quarters. She turned on the lights, to see what his room was like, just as he left it, and fell to her knee's with tears filling her eyes. "Samorei, Kira, Tolle, why did they have to die?" she asked, caring more for Kira and Samorei. "Just WHY?" she yelled, as she leaned to the side wall.

Sai, walked the halls, he himself was asked to get Tolle's things, and as he entered the room, he saw Miriallia crying just across from Tolle's bed. Sai quickly hid, the box behind his back. "Mir, are you alright?" he asked, as she was still severely shaken about Tolle's death. "Come on, lets get you something to eat." he said, as she accepted his offer, and the two walked down the hall. That is when they saw Dearka, in nothing but white, being escorted, by two armed guards.

"My my, what a pretty girl like you, doing on a ship like this?" he asked her, as she seemed so sad. "Pretty girls like you shouldn't cry. I should be the one crying." He said with a smirk, as the guards took him away, leaving an angered Miriallia behind him.

A few hours later, the Archangel was being escorted now, by a naval fleet, into a waterfall hangar, of the Alaskan base. It was docked within the dock, as in a dark room, several people were discussing, the arrival of the Archangel. A Officer, by the name of William Sutherland, was the first to speak. "It seems that the Archangel has arrived, and a good thing, it did not have such heathens aboard her anymore." he said, as several of the other people nodded in agreement.

"Even if it was such a shame, to lose the Jade Frame, having Orb, keep more of their secrets, we still can't let a coordinator, pilot one of our machines." he continued with a dark smirk. "We have big plans for this project." He said, as several specs came onto a screen of his. Of several new mobile suits, as their model number and name's were displayed. Some of these machines were, the GAT-X131 Calamity, GAT-X133 Sword Calamity, GAT-X252 Forbidden, GAT-X255 Fobidden Blue, GAT-X345 Wing, GAT-X370 Raider, GAT-333 Raider Full Spec, and the GAT-X400 Voyager. Wing, and Voyager, were new models, Wing looked like a sleek design, made for speed, while Voyager, seemed to be a new, Aegis style mobile suit. "If we let the coordinators pilot these machines, then it'll prove thier blind views, that they are the better pilots." he told them.

"What are you going to do with the report with Azrael?" one of the others asked.

"Just what is needed to tell him." Sutherland answered.

"What of the possible survival of the White Devil?" another asked.

"That, will be something we must look out for. If he has told this ship, of what we have done to that thing, we will be in trouble." he told them.

"What if we keep them here like the Euraisian forces, that we are keeping here?" another asked, as Sutherland nodded.

"I will bring that up, with our true headquarters." he told them, standing, "Remember, everything we are doing, is for the Preservation of our pure and blue world." he told them, as he left.

ZAFT Carpentaria:

Yzak, walked as though something bothered him, and something did, the death of his brother was harder on him than he thought. And that was something he thought he got used to since the bloody valentine. He then looked up upon the Duel, as it was being repaired, and made combat ready, for the leading operation. While outside, several machines are switched to Earth Bound ships, from their transport planes, all in preperation of the Operation. Elsewhere in the base, after being transfered from the Orb plane, he sat on his bed, remembering the last few moments of his battle, with Kira, and the destruction of Nicol's machine. While at the same time remembering his conversation with Cagalli. However, such thinking ended, when Ral Le Creuset, who was now earthbound. "It's been a while Athrun." he said, in his calm as anything voice.

Athrun, stood up with a salute to his commander. "Commander!" he began surprised, as his voice turned to sorrow. "I'm sorry for disgraceing you, as a commander." Athrun told him.

"Oh but Athrun, on the contrary, you didn't disgrace me." Rau said with his smirk. "Your quite the topic in the PLANTs." He began, as he looked at his soldier. "The topic is of the pilot, who destroying the indestructible Strike." he continued. "Many people are glad, especially of your fallen comrade's parents. Infact, many people are so glad, that you are to be given the order of the Nebula." Athrun did not reply to any of the things Rau was saying, besides looking surprised. "You are also being transfered back to the PLANTs. To the new Special forces unit, and to pilot one of our new machines." he continued.

"Commander?" he asked.

"You are to leave immediately." Rau informed the young pilot.

"But Commander?" Athrun tried to get out, as Rau just brought up his hand.

"Nothing to question the orders of Supreme Council Chairman Zala." Rau told him. "He is now in a position, to end the war, with a swift end." he informed Athrun, with a sinister smile.

Athrun nodded in agreement, as up in the PLANT's Clyne Residence.

A peaceful place, that would be a paradise, if peace could ever truly stay. Kira layed in a small gazebo dazed, as his mind filled with the last moments of his battle with the Aegis. "Well well, its about time you wake up Handsome." Came a familiar voice as Kira's eyes went wide open. He began to look up, and saw Allenby, all in one piece, save for a eyepatch over her right eye. Obviously not all her wounds have healed since her battle with the Jade Frame.

"Al, Al?" he asked as Allenby nodded.

"Yeah, its me Kira, its been a while." She said with a smirk, as Kira turned his hed, as a pink ball came bouncing.

"Haro, Haro!" it called, as a moment later, Lacus Clyne came in, wearing a white dress, with two pink triangles in the neck area.

"Oh, Kira, you are awake." She said surprised, as Allenby turned to her.

"Yeah, he awoke just a few moments ago." Allenby informed her, as Kira took notice that Allenby wasn't wearing what she was at Earth, instead she wore the female verison of the ZAFT uniform, with a blue, rather than redish skirt. Kira tried to sit up, as Allenby noticed he was having trouble and rushed over to help. "Hey take it easy there, your more battered up, then I was." She informed him, as Kira turned his head away from her.

"Thanks." he told her, as Lacus kneeled down beside him.

"You shouldn't over exert yourself yet Kira, this is a time you need to rest." she told the teen.

"Just how am I alive?" he asked himself, as a tall blind monk walked into the Gazebo.

"It is because of an associate of mine, and that you posesse something known as the SEED." Malchio told him, as Kira looked at him.

"The SEED?" Allenby asked, never hearing the term before. All Malchio did was nod. "Just what is this SEED?" she asked.

Malchio smirked a little. "Ahh, Miss Hahenfuss, that is a mystery that I cannot even understand, a neither does anyone else for that matter, even though research has been put in on the subject." he told her, as Kira was looking at the bed infront of him.

He was not even paying attention to the blind monk, as he kept on having Flashes, of that last battle within his mind. "I should of died in that battle." he said with tears.

"Kira." Allenby said in a sweet voice. "We all die someday, it was just those days, were not our day." she told him.

Lacus nodded. "For as long as their are enemies, their will always be death." she told them saddened. "And as long as you and Athrun are on opposite sides, you will always fight." she continued.

Allenby nodded. "We will all be fighting for a long time to come." Allenby told them, "As Siegel has lost his place, we are ruled by Patrick Zala now."

Aprilious One: ZAFT Supreme Council

The room was dimly lit, as the Supreme Council, PLANT representatives of the several Clusters of colonies. "Shouldn't we first try for the peace Negotiations before we start Spitbreak?" Ali, the representative of the januarius colonies asked.

"I agree." Siegel Clyne told them. "We should be trying to avoid deaths, not make the number of them higher." he told them.

"This is ridiculous!" Ezalia shouted out. "Do any of you actually remember, some of our own children have died, because of the Natural's. Do any of you want more of our future to die?" she asked them. "And let alone, the Alliance is acting like they have already won! When all they had was the Strike!" she told them.

"Ezalia, your emotions of both your sons out their at war, is clouding you judgement of a peaceful future." Yuri Amalfi told her.

"Are you serious!" Ezalia said to him. "Have you forgotten, the Earth Forces, have already taken your son's life?" she asked him.

"This is enough!" Siegel told them. "All we are doing, is going to be fighting on and on, if we don't come up with a peace treaty with the Earth Forces."

Patrick Zala, already haveing his own plan to deal with the Natural's, had enough of this 'peace' talk."That is enough of your outbursts Siegel Clyne. We are going on with Spitbreak, even without your full approval." Patrick told the blonde headed former chairman.

Earth Vusgolov Sub

Rau Le Creuset, having a sub heading towards the true target, where only the commanders of certain vessels knew the true target of Spitbreak. "Our target, is a very formidable opponent." Rau told his soldiers. "However, do to the information that we leaked, most of their forces will be in Panama for the Operation, rather than our actual target." he continued. "However, this base is built to withstand a Nuclear blast, and that we should not underestimate, what defences the Earth Forces, have kept here." he continued, as the officers with him nodded. Just then, Rau had a familiar feeling, something that he only felt when the Hawk of Endymion is around, however this feeling was different. As at that very moment, his sub was passing by, the very place, where the Strike, Aegis, and Jade Frame met their ends.

Archangel:

Miriallia continued to feel hurt, since the death of Tolle. As Sai had taken her to the mess hall, to get something to eat, however Mir just continued to refuse to do so. "Come on Mir, you should have something to eat." he told her, as she just shook her head.

As at that moment, two mechanics came in. "Man, it is so boring now." one mechanic said.

"Yeah, now with Samorei not around, we have nothing to do, as we already repaired our last Skygrasper." the other one told him, not noticing the look of horror on Mir's face at the mention of the lone Skygrasper.

"I guess, we could always repair the Buster." he told him.

"But isn't that an enemy machine?" The other one asked.

"You forget, those machines were all ours at first." he said, as Sai quietly took a crying Mir out of the room.

"Hey Mir, just ignore them." Sai told her, as he took her away from the mess hall, until they saw Flay, who could be seen of having a tear stained face. "F. . . Flay!" Sai said surprised, as she had Kira's robotic pet Birdy on her shoulder.

"Sai, what's wrong, is there anything I can help with?" she asked Sai, who shook his head.

"No Flay, I can handle it." he told her.

"But Sai, I. . . Feel so useless, with nothing to do, or help with." She said as she remembered Kira, and Sam, two people closer to her, than Tolle was.

"Alright, lets get something to help Mir, in the Infirmary." Sai told her, as they went through the door, as Mir sat down on the bed. "Here take some of these." he told her, as he then looked at Flay. "Come on, we should leave her be for a moment." he told the red headed girl, as the two former engaged couple left the room.

Still inside, Mir continued to cry. That was until the other occupant of the room spoke up. "So, the cute one, has yet to stop crying. Figures." the voice of Dearka said full of sarcasm. Mir was overly surprised to see him. "

"Why are you staring at me?" he wondered, with a slight smile. "You find me...unusual? Or are you just frightened? Relax, why don't you," he advised, sitting up. "I couldn't be any more tied up." Indeed, his wrists were tied behind his back, with restraints attached directly to the bed.

Mir couldn't look away from him. _He's one of the ones who was out there when Tolle... when Tolle..._ Her eyes began to mist. _He's..._ she continued.

Dearka lay back again, eyes closed. "But what I _really_ want to know is, why are you crying again? It's hard to believe a ship like this would have such a crybaby onboard." He chuckled. "You've got no business being a soldier if you're that afraid."

However, she was angry, from what he was saying, as this was the time for her to cry, as she saw a sergical knife on a near by tray.

"Or maybe..." he drawled, "your good-for-nothing Natural boyfriend went and bought the farm or something."

He didn't notice the knife coming for him until it was almost too late.

Dearka's eyes snapped open, and he sat upright just in time to ensure that it was his pillow, instead of his head, that got perforated. "What are you _doing?"_ he demanded. "You're psycho!"

Mir, rage on her face, didn't reply. Instead, she lunged for him again, and sent both him and herself crashing to the deck, ripping through the curtain in the process... and opening a cut on Dearka's head.

At that moment, the Infirmary hatch opened again, and Sai stepped back in, with Flay, not far behind. "Mir!" he said, with eyes wide open, as she was going to go for one more fatal strike, as she got ontop of the fallen Dearka. As she raised her arms, Sai grabbed both of the, dragging the enraged teen off of the prisoner of war.

"Tolle's gone!" Mir burst out, struggling with them both. "And he's never coming back! And yet this _freak...!"_ Her mouth twisted in hate. "What is this murderer _doing_ here?"

Dearka's eyes went wide, and in that instant he began to realize that his comment had been entirely too close to the truth. _No... I... I didn't mean..., _That was when, he saw it, the red headed girl that came in as well, was now holding a gun on him.

Sai, and Mir heard the click from the barrel slide, having a bullet ready, to penetrate anything of flesh. Sai and Mir looked, as Dearka had no choice but to do so. They saw, tears forming in her eyes. "Samorei, and Kira have taught me, that not all coordinators are like the way my father taught me." She began, as Dearka saw in her eyes. He knew who she spoke of for the first name, but the second he did not know. "They taught me, how they could care, for Naturals like us, however. . ." she began, as her waterworks began to show. "However, coordinators, like you, who show no compassion, for the losses we suffer!" she continued, as Mir, saw what she was bout to do. "Coordinators, like you! Deserve to be killed!" she called, as those words echoed, through the room. Mir lunged herself at Flay, knocking her off balance, as the gun went off, hitting the ceiling.

Both girls were now on the floor, Mir on top of Flay, who was shocked, that the girl who just was trying to Kill Dearka, was now defending him.

On the bridge however the officers did not know, besides now, they have a meeting with the higher ups.

A/N: Ok, this new chapter up. Flay's words have changed in her scene, and the condition Samorei is in, has been solved. Just how did this guy survive all that? Is his lust for life? Or something else.

If it is that something else, discover it, in the next chapter.


	24. Chapter 24: The truth

Chapter 24: The truth

Secret Location Ten Years ago

The sound of tires went over loose gravel filled the area, as an Atlantic Federation army truck drove over the gravel, to a large black building, hidden within the woods. The Dark truck drove down the road, under the cover of darkness, as only the headlights of this truck could be seen. Upon pulling up to the steel gate, a arm of someone reached out, and swiped a id card within the card slot, as a camera peered at the driver. "_Password"_ a voicebox told the driver.

"Preservation" The male voice said, as the truck went into the compound. It drove, until it parked with its back to a unloading ramp. A pair of forklifts waited, for the back of the truck to be opened, and connected. As the back opened, crying could be heard, as the forklifts began to unload types of cages. Within them, were bound, and blindfolded children, all near the same age, of late childhood.

"Where are we?" a child asked.

"I want my mommy!" Another called.

"Oh shut up, stupid brats." a soldier told them slamming the but of his rifle on the cage. "Your mothers are dead, their is no use, trying to cry for help from them."

That shut up a bunch of them, as the forklift, and soldier made it to a pair of people in lab coats, obvious scientists. "The children are here, where should they be sent?" The soldier asked the male in the lab coat.

The scientist looked at the blindfolded and bound children, all with their blindfolds stained with tears. "This group, to the first stage, this other one, to second, and these ones, to the U lab." he told them, having many of the children split apart from the others, splitting what was left of family, away from each other. The oldest, going for the U lab, and the youngest, to second stage.

* * *

Ten Years Later. . . Orb, Hospital

Rondo Mina Sahaku sat in a brightly lit room, as Samorei Joule, layed in a bed not to far from her. She had never seen someone have such a broken body before, and her heart, continued to feel pain, every time she looked at him in that bed.

* * *

As Several miles away, Alaska. . .

The Archangel was silent, as in the infirmary, Flay layed on the floor shocked, as Mir was laying ontop, with both Dearka, and Sai were both caught by surprise. "Why did you stop me?" Flay asked, as Mir looked at the red headed girls eyes. "You tried to kill him, so why did you stop me?" She asked again.

Mir was in a state of shock, and was unable to find an answer, as she stumbled her words. "I. . . I. . ." she tried to tell her.

Flay just laughed a bit. "I don't believe this, Sam was right, people can change, in the heat of blinded hatred." Flay said within the laugh.

"What?" Mir asked, as she began to get off of Flay.

Flay just smirked. "You see, in a way, you and I are a lot alike." She told her, as Mir shook her head no. "That is not what I'm getting at Miriallia, we are both girls, who have lost people that we loved. So now, our anger, can be so powerful, it can change us." She continued. "Anger has a way of changeing people, into things we do not like, into killers." Flay continued.

"Flay, just what are you getting at?" Sai asked, as she just looked at him.

"Sam, was right about the Earth Forces, that is why they haven't taken our Prisoner yet. They are having us get our anger fueled, to make us into mindless weapons, to destroy the PLANTs." she continued, as Dearka just looked at her, like, has she lost her mind look.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Pal asked, as he and an armed Soldier came in, seeing the four teens amongst the floor.

* * *

A while later. . .

Murrue Ramius, Mu La Flaga, and Natarle Badgiruel, were heading down the cooridor's of the Alaskan base, to meet with Willian Sutherland. As a few of the bridgecrew from the Archangel followed close behind. They came into the room, as Sutherland, and two others sat behind a desk, with a large view screen behind them, and a laptop beside Sutherland. Everyone were in full uniform, as Murrue, and her people sat in the chairs infront of Sutherland, and his two comrades.

This Board of Inquiry shall now commence," the man intoned. "I'm Captain William Sutherland; and you, I presume, are the officers of the _Archangel,_ assigned to the Eighth Fleet."

Murrue nodded. "Yes, Captain. I'm Lieutenant Commander Murrue Ramius, and these are Lieutenant Commander Mu La Flaga, and Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel of the Archangel"

Sutherland nodded. "Very good. Now, Commander, let me begin by congratulating you on making it this far, through so much danger." His voice hardened perceptibly. "How much of that danger could have been avoided, we'll determine in a moment. First, however, I'd like you to summarize the _Archangel_'s actions, from the attack on Heliopolis up to now."

"Yes, sir." She cleared her throat. "To begin, the _Archangel_'s journey began on January 25th, when ZAFT's Le Creuset team attacked Heliopolis, and succeeded in capturing four of the five prototype mobile suits under construction there..."

Murrue went on for several minutes, with occasional interjections by her officers, and enumerated the ship's long journey. The attack on and eventual collapse of Heliopolis and the help of the MBF-P04 Jade Frame as somehow a hidden Euraisian Federation Machine, the silent run to Artemis, the brief capture and subsequent escape, the journey to the Eighth Fleet... the battle that led to the Fleet's destruction... and the various actions on Earth itself.

She deliberately glossed over several matters, such as their alliance with the Desert Dawn resistance fighters... and especially their actions in Orb. Even Natarle had, in the end, agreed that it might be unwise to enumerate exactly what had gone on there. The people at Headquarters might not be entirely sanguine about their aiding Orb in Morgenroete's Astray program.

However, she made sure she mentioned Banken, and his Tarawa Cruiser.

Finally, after describing the battle wherein the Strike, Jade, and the single Skygrasper had been lost, she was finished. "...and that, Captain, is about all there is to tell. We left the Marshall Islands, and made it here to Alaska without further incident."

Sutherland nodded, as though to himself. "And you see nothing that you might have done better, Commander Ramius?"

Murrue shrugged. "Hindsight is, of course, twenty-twenty, Captain. There are probably a number of things we might've done better. However, based on what we knew at the time, I see nothing I would've done differently; we worked with the limited options we had, sir."

"I disagree," the Captain declared. "You made mistakes from the very first day, Commander... mistakes you should've known to avoid from the start."

Her eyebrows went up in surprise. "Excuse me, Captain? Would you care to explain?"

Sutherland snorted. "Come now, Commander, surely it's obvious. You allowed a child -a Coordinator, no less!- to pilot the Strike, when you knew full well that Coordinators were -and remain- our enemies."

Murrue frowned. "With all due respect, Captain Sutherland, I don't see that we had much of a choice. With the operating system we had, a Natural stood little chance of even moving properly, let alone fighting, in the Strike. Accepting Kira Yamato's aid was really our only option."

"Hmph. Well, Commander, while I agree you made the right choice when you detained those civilians, I must say that it was still a rash and very ill-considered move to put a Coordinator in that machine's cockpit. With time, we could've created an operating system that even a Natural could use properly."

She shook her head. "Sir, we didn't _have_ time-"

"And," Sutherland went on, cutting her off, "not content with that, you accepted the services of another Coordinator, and is already declared a traitor among us! Commander, you may -_may-_ be able to justify Kira Yamato's presence in the Strike, but accepting on your own authority the assistance of the notorius White Devil was absolutely unjustifiable!"

Many of the Archangel's soldiers began whispering. "White Devil?" Natarle asked.

"Captain, just what are you talking about?" Murrue questioned. "Just what do you mean by the White Devil?" she asked.

Sutherland Snorted at the comment. "You had a fugitive onboard the Archangel, and did not even know it?" he asked. "The fool Betrayed the Alliance, when we actually allowed Coordinators into our forces." He began.

* * *

10 Years ago, Unknown labs.

"NO NO let me go!" A Childs scream could be heard. It was a child no older than eight years old, being dragged, with his legs bound, however moveing wildly. The child had short silver hair, as he was dragged and strapped to a table.

A few people in lab coats began to do what they were told. One injected a needle into the right shoulder of the child, as it began to scream.

A few hours later, the child layed in a prison like area. His hair dirties, and was nude, as the child shook as cold as anything. "Mom, Yzak." The child said, as he shivered from the cold floor.

"Hey." Said a seven year old blonde haired girl said crawling over to him. "What's your name?" She asked, scared as though the silver haired child would hurt her, like the adults were. Over her right temple was a scar, as their was one, on the silver haired child as well.

He looked at her, to see violet eyes, and her blonde haired went over her shoulder. "Samorei. . . Joule" Sam told her, as she didn't smile as she told him hers.

"Rin Loussier." she told him, as Sam nodded.

"I never thought I would make a friend in this place." Sam told her, as she nodded in agreement.

She then curled her naked body up, to have her knees meet her chest. "I wonder what they have planned for us?" she asked.

"Nothing good." Another child not far from them answered, as this child also had white hair, and seemed to be African.

* * *

After that day, several months have passed, the Worst was over, besides a needle every once in a while, with a strange liquid within it. Tests were done, as for a few weeks, the children, were kept in tubes, as more modifications were done to their bodies. Others were testes, with various conventianal weapons, such as AK-47's, Desert Eagles, Nine Milimeter pistols. Several kind of weapons, even making makeshift ones, out of various things a person could find, in a ordinary place. Many Children have died during these experiments, however, out of an original eighty children, only fifty-four remain alive. Sam and Rin were really good friends now, even in this dark time for them. They relied on each other, not to snap, and that help would eventually come for them.

"Sam." Rin said, as the two layed on the ground. This time fully clothed, with what has become of them. For such a young age, both children seamed to have well toned skin, and well toned muscles. Both of them, have learned that the final test, was in a few days. And that they were a part of something known as the Ultimate Extended, program. Or so that is how they were refered as.

"What is it Rin?" Sam asked her, as they both could notice, the scar they had from their first week, was nearly healed.

"I'm scared, this final test, I have a bad feeling." She said, as she got closer to Sam. Sam wrapped his arms around her, he was scared as well, and the two have become close, almost like brother and sister.

"We are all scared." Another girl with blonde hair told them. It was a another friend of theirs, named Shana Lakewood. Next to her, were two african boys, one was the one they met during the first week, his name was Marik, while next to him, was evidently Joshua, Marik's older brother.

"I wonder, if its such a wise idea for us to be making friends, during this time?" Joshua asked, as he leaned in the corner.

* * *

3 days later. . . .

Sam, Rin, Joshua, Shana, and Marik were all assigned to a team called team 5. Each were suited up, in child sized army clothing, and given each a submachine gun, a knife, and a nine millimeter pistol. Rin, just did not seem to be herself, as she held the submachine gun. Sam, loaded his gun, and was ready, however nervous, that this test was Live Ammo, and the last remaining team, or person, if it came down to it, would be considered the Ultimate Weapon. The large slated gray door began to open, as the light was bright. "It is time Children, time for all of you to go and hunt the other teams. The last person, or team left standing wins." a man's voice called out. As it all began.

One hour later, Sam, and his team hid behind a hill, as they were underfire from two other teams. "DAMN." Joshua said, as his gun was jammed.

"What is our situation right now?" Sam asked, as Marik shrugged.

"No Idea, all I know is team two and team six have teamed up together." Marik informed them.

"And their positions?" Shana asked, as she reloaded her machine gun. "It be a good idea to know, we are running low on ammunition."

"We don't know." Joshua answered, as he got his weapon unjammed. "We need someone to spot for us." He told them.

"But that. . ." Sam began.

"Hey, where's Rin?" Marik asked, as Sam turned to see that Rin was missing. He then looked up, to see her prone, and crawling up the hill. However, a shot was heard, and Rin's body flew backwards, and then rolling down the hill, to beside Sam's team. "RIN!" each of them called, as the came over to her.

"S. . . Sa. . . Morei." Rin managed slowly. Sam quickly place her hand into his. "I'm glad, I knew of you, may I ask you?" she began, as he shook his head, not believeing that her life was slipping through his fingers. "Please, protect, Stellar." she told him, as her eyes closed one final time.

Sam could not believe it, he felt like crying, however a blind rage began to fill within him. "Rin, RINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" Samorei yelled, as tears flooded his face. That was when it began, a small device within his head, began to activate, sending electicity throughout the brain, and down the spine, to all parts of the body. He closed his eyes, once, and when he opened them, they were blank, as various crows feet, formed on the sides of both eyes.

He turned, seeing that the others came under fire, from the other children. Samorei quickly grabbed his knife, and Rin's as he held both knives in his hands. "Time to die." he said, with a sly smile, as he then began to run up the hill. Bullets began to shred the areas, where Sam's feet last touch, as he moved with such nimbility it was almost that he did not even touch the ground as he ran. The first target, was a seven year old boy, who continued to fire at Sam, as he stared in horror as the white haired boy, seemed like a blur. Within seconds, the knife in Sam's right hand, struck the right arm of the boy, severing it from the main body. All that could be heard was the childs scream, but it ended, as the knife went into his mouth, and up into the brain. Several more bloody deaths happened, as Sam was out of control, killing a child left and right, until the only ones left. Were Shana, Marik, and Joshua, who cowered in fear, from what they saw Sam do.

After the last child breathed its last breath in Sam's hand, his eyes returned to normal, as Sam actually clearly saw, what he has just done, and dropped the now corpse to the ground. "Wha. . . what have I done?" Sam asked himself as he looked around, as the ground was soaked with the blood of children.

"Hhmhmhmhm, congratulations child forty seven. Or should I say, from this performance, White Devil." A mans voice told them.

* * *

Ten Years Later Orb:

Samorei's heart began to race, as the machine he was hooked up to, began to read that the heart rate began to increase. "Samorei!" Mina called out, as she went over to his side, however, upon the touch of her hand to his, the situation began to resolve.

"Rin" Samorei said, in a whisper, as Mina knew who he spoke of. She was one of the few people that Sam, has shared his past with. "I promise. . . I will. . . protect her. . ." Sam continued, as Mina touched his forehead, as she could see the sweat on the bandage that was around it.

"Samorei, if we ever find that girl, I will use all my power to help you protect her." She told him, in a whisper as she rubbed his forehead.

* * *

PLANT: Aprilious One Clyne Manor

Kira stood still bandaged, as he looked over the still water artificial lake, that was placed into the PLANT, to show the beauty that was not of the Earth. He kept on thinking, of the lives that he took, of people he got to know. Aisha, Andrew, Nicol, Tolle, and his own death by Athrun's hands. "The scenery is beautiful isn't it?" Allenby asked, walking up to him.

Kira was startled to hear her come over. "Hey." He said surprised, as he looked over the balcony again. "Yeah it is, very peaceful, like before the war began." He replied, remembering the destruction of heliopolis. "However, I fear the war will reach here as well someday." he continued.

"War, will reach us all, if we don't have peace sometime soon." Lacus said, as she came up to the two of them. With her pink Haro in hand, and about seven others behind her.

"I agree." Allenby nodded, as she looked off, towards the area where the Supreme Council room was, across the giant lake. "We have all felt the pain of war, and the pain of lost, at least once." she continued, as the other two nodded.

* * *

Alaska, Briefing room

"And that is the story of the traitorous White Devil. He killed several of our soldiers in his escape." Sutherland told them. Leaving out some key details, such as the Ultimate Extended Program, and the age of Samorei at that time, and the tests they performed. "You see now, that he is a fugitive, and probably manipulated you, so he could come here, to finish what he started." Sutherland continued.

"But that is impossible!" out of all people, Natarle told him. "He protected the Archangel with his life, and its entire crew, who are all Earth Forces soldiers now!" she told him. "He died protecting the ship!" she continued.

"You will speak, only when Spoken to!" One of Sutherlands men told her.

"There is only one thing were are glad about of what you said Lieutenant, is that the White Devil died back at the Marshall Islands." Sutherland told her.

Mu, then looked at the man, with a stern look. "Is that anyway, to speak of someone who has killed his own people to protect something of what you consider as his enemies?" He asked.

Sutherland just shook his head. "Their is no reasoning with any of you, no matter. This briefing, is now officially over." Sutherland told them, as the Archangel Soldiers, began to stand, until someone whispered to him. "Oh right." he began, catching the attention of the others. "One more thing, Commander Ramius," he began. "There are a few changes that will be made in assignments. Lieutenant Commander La Flaga, Lieutenant Junior Grade Badgiruel, and Crewman Allster will be transferred within the week."

"I... can understand why with Commander La Flaga, and Lieutenant Badgiruel would be transferred, sir; but what about Crewman Allster? Why would she...?"

"She's an Allster, Commander," Sutherland told her. "That name is still respected; people will be glad to hear her words. One doesn't have to be a fighter to be useful, Commander."

Murrue nodded slowly. "I see, Captain."

* * *

Orb, Military Hospital:

In the hospital, it was relatively quiet, like others were. As Orb was not involved with the war, only the action, of a public Hospital. However, today was no ordinary day, as Rondo Ghina Sahaku came through the door, with two Orb Soldiers, however their uniforms that looked Like Orb, but were in black, showing that they were among the Sahaku's. While where the Orb insignia was, inside it, was a pair of golden hawk wings. He wasted no time at the front desk, as he went down the hall. Anger upon his face, as a week ago, he failed in an attempt to destroy the Megafloat colony, that was a joint piece of work, of the Junk Guild, and Reverened Malchio. "Has their been any news on Banken?" he asked one of his men.

"No Sir, last we heard of him, he was heading towards Heaven's base." The Soldier told him.

"I see, and he needs to be taught a lesson, in failing in his mission." He continued. "Even though if he is that mad mans son, I will be sure he doesn't survive this war." Rondo told them. As they came infront of a room, with the numbers 207 on it. He entered the room, as in a bed, was a green haired teen with red eyes, he was sixteen years of age, and was the former pilot of the GAT machine that was destroyed near by. "I see you have gotten accustomed to the food of our nation." Rondo began, as Nicol Amalfi looked up.

"Ahh, so you are Lord Sahaku. I'm Nicol Amalfi." Nicol said, sending out his hand for greeting the Noble.

"As it is you, child." Rondo told him, even though he himself was only a few years older then the ZAFT pilot. "Is this hospital giving you the proper hospitality?" he asked.

"Yes Lord Sahaku." Nicol answered him.

"Hmhmhmhm. No need for such titles young one, you see, you are of the PLANTs, so I am not your lord." Ghina told him. "Infact, call me, Ghina." he told him.

"A. . . Sure Ghina. So what is it that you came to visit me?" Nicol asked.

"Ah yes. . ., do you wonder, what has become of your friends? The rest of your team?" he asked him.

"What do you mean, what has happened?" Nicol asked.

"Of what you wish to know, I can't truly explain without showing you." Ghina told him standing up. "Get your things, you will be shown, the Blitz's destroyers, final grounds of battle." Ghina told him, as he stood.

* * *

ORB, Sahaku Manor. . .

Savir walked the halls, as he came to the room, Samorei was being kept in, and walked in. "Lady Sahaku, I thought you might want to know, that Rondo has taken the Crusader." he told her.

Mina, who continued to sit in the chair, looking over Samorei. "Thank you Savir, however I do not care of Ghina' The only thing, that I find useful of knowing, is Sam's condition." she told him.

"I see." Savir told her, as he looked over his orignial. "Hmm, its funny, from stories I read of clones, that they don't like their orignals very much." Savir told her. "However, that is not the way we are, we are all brothers." he continued, earning a look from Mina. "I hope that my brother awakens, soon, and the others agree."

"We all do. Dad died, while Sam was gone, and now besides him and Ghina. They are the most important people to me." She told him. "I know that your thinking I'm not thinking of you, but I am. I care for each of you, however my brother, and Sam are the most important."

Savir nodded. "I understand m'lady." Savir told her with a smirk. "However, what I am worried about, is the rumors of Spit Break. ZAFT would most likley know, that the Earth Forces know of it, so, all I can truly say, is that I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

JOSH-A base, Alaska:

Underneath the base, unknown to most of the bases inhabitants, several large pieces equipment were under the base. The last time, they were under a base, was at the Endymion crater. Sutherland, was among the soldiers that were their. "The Cyclops is ready to be activated Captain." the soldier told him.

"Good, we will severley cripple the coordinators with this plan, and also getting rid of a few insignificant insects." Sutherland told them. "Have the Transfers begin for other locations. And have the Proteus Mobile Armors ready for escort." he ordered, as the soldiers nodded.

* * *

Carpentaria Base:

Athrun Zala, was walking down the hall, briefcase in one hand, and his arm in a sling, on the opposite side. As he continued to walk, he saw Yzak, and it hit Athrun, as the image of the Jade Frame being impaled by the Aegis' shield. "Yzak." Athrun silently told himself, as he walked over to the elite pilot. The only one that still had an original G-weapon left, under his control. With this, Yzak came walking over to Athrun. "Yzak before anything I like to. . ."

"There is nothing for you to apologize for." Yzak told him, but before Athrun can say a thing, he felt a punch to the side of the face, the fist that commited the act, was Yzaks. "Because no such apology will bring my family back as a whole."

Athrun, wiped a trickle of blood from the side of his mouth. "I guess I deserved that." Athrun told him, as he saw the hatred in is comrade's eyes. "And your right, no kind of apology I can give to you, will help the lost of your brother." he continued. "However, I wish to Thank you, for letting me handle the Strike." Athrun told him.

"Yeah, sure whatever, the Strike was of no concern to me." Yzak told him.

"Indeed, it was my concern like that of the Jade machine was to you. As the pilot of the Strike, was my best friend." Athrun told him, earning a concerned look from Yzak. "I never tried to kill him, until that last battle."

"When the fool, took Nicol's life is that the reason?" Yzak asked him.

"Yeah, that is why. Something I heard once before was a saying." he continued. "Lose One Friend, Lose All friends, Lose Yourself."

Yzak never heard the saying before, but it seemed to have fit Athrun perfectly in that battle. After he, and Dearka were taken out of the fight, Athrun, became something else, as though he was lost to the world, and himself. "I see." Yzak said, as he held out the hand that hit Athrun, moments earlier. Athrun took it. "Congratulations on your success." he told him.

"Thanks." And with that, Athrun began to walk down the hall, to get on a transport that was dew to the PLANTs.

"Don't Die Athrun, the next time we see each other, you will be my Subordinate!" Yzak called after his comrade in arms.

* * *

Aprilius One: Clyne Manor

Allenby walked up to Kira, she was now in her civilian attire, that she wore back in the desert. "Kira, you should come inside, it is said, that the rain will soon begin." she told him.

"Alright." Kira told her, as he continued to look over the lake, as Allenby placed her hand on his.

"Your friends right?" She asked him, as Kira flipped, his hand, so that they are coupling each others.

"Yeah." He said, looking at her, as he could see, her cheeks were red, from blushing. "My friends, are very dear to me. That is why I fought against you, and your friends." he told her.

"I understand." She told him, as she put her head on his shoulder. Kira could tell the girl liked him as he then took the same arm, and wrapped it around her shoulder. "I like this." She said, as Kira felt a drop of water, from the rain she told him earlier.

* * *

On the Archangel, Natarle was walking down the hall, dragging a un-cooperative Flay behind her. "Wha? Why me? Why am I being transfered?" Flay pleaded.

Natarle just continued. "Headquarters gave us the orders, and what they say we must do." Natarle told her, as she continued. They came by, what soldiers were left on the Archangel.

"Captain, why? Why me?" she asked the Captain.

"I'm sorry Flay. But they are orders from Headquarters, in which I must obey." Murrue told her, with a hint of sadness in her voice, as she then turned to Natarle. "I guess this is goodbye then." she nodded to her friend.

"Yeah, it was great serving you captain." Natarle said, shaking Murrue's hand.

"Perhaps the next time we see each other, it wont be on the field of battle." Murrue told her with a bit of a smile.

"Yeah, that is something I would like." Natarle answered her.

"Please, take care of Flay, you know that Kira would still wish for her to live, through this war." Murrue told her, as Natarle nodded. With that, the two saluted, leaving with Natarle taking Flay with her.

Mu, came walking behind them, in full uniform, grumbleing. "This is really stupid, I'm going to California to be an Instructor, because Rena Imelia is being sent to the battlefield." He said shaking his head.

"Sakura Burst, so the one who trained the original pilots, is going to the battlefield?" Murrue asked, as Mu nodded.

"Yeah, I guess she wanted a transfer, do to hearing the death's of her pilots at Heliopolis." Mu told her, as he just shook his head. "And they are taking ME off the battlefield to fill her position." he told her.

"Well there can be one good thing of this. With you training the new troops, we can definitely expect less rookie casualties." She said with a small laugh.

"Yeah I guess." Mu said, as he looked at her. "Well then I guess this is goodbye then." he said to her as she nodded. He then gave her a salute. "It was a pleasure serving under you captain." he told her.

"It was a pleasure to have your escort sir." Murrue told him, returning the salute, and with that, the commander left, as Murrue faught to hold back the tears she just wanted to let loose.

* * *

An hour later, the bridge crew were upon the bridge, as they were just getting some new orders. "_From here on, the Archangel will be acting on the JOSH-A defence forces."_

_"_Alright, but what of the crew's discharge for going out into the city of this base?" Murrue asked.

"_The request, must be denied captain. We are in to much preperation on the attack at Panama base."_ The officer informed her.

* * *

PLANT: Aprilius One

Kira, Allenby, Lacus who was on the floor playing with her Haro, and Malchio were all around a table, as Allenby, Kira, and Malchio shared some tea together. "So Kira, how much do you like the PLANTs?" Allenby asked him, as Kira nodded.

"Its a nice place, but is it alright for me to be here?" Kira asked no one in general.

"Kira, it is alright, for you to be anywhere you choose." Lacus told him, as she watched a blue haro bounce infront of her.

"You will no what you have to do, and where you should go, because that is something a SEED Bearer can choose." Malchio told him, earning a confused look from all three teens. However the blind monk could not see their expressions.

* * *

Meanwhile, ZAFT Lauraisa, and Nazca cruisers hover in Earths Orbit, as Transport Planes, Subs, and in both space, and on Earth, Mobile Suits begin to mobilize all ready for Operation Spit Break, while in the Sub commanded by Rau Le Creuset was getting ready for the operation. That was when it all began, the attack operation began. As the soldiers targets were all surprised, as their target changed from Panama, to the weaknd area of JOSH-A. "Ingenious Zala" Yzak smirked. "Changeing the target at the last second was genious."

* * *

Back in the PLANTs, Siegel Clyne arrived. "It is a pleasure to actually meet you Mr. Yamato, for treating my daughter the way you did, upon the Archangel." Siegel told him, as a butler came up to him.

"Sir you have a call from comittee member Eileen Canaver" And with that, he activated the vid phone.

"_Clyne Zala has lied to use. Spitbreaks target isn't Panama, its Alaska!_" Eileen told them, as soon as Kira heard it, he dropped his cup, as it shattered upon hitting the ground, as he felt his chest, as though he was just haveing a heart attack.

* * *

JOSH-A base, Submarine Hangar:

Natarle looked at her papers. "Well this is my sub. How about you two?" she asked.

Mu looked over Flay's, and then lied. "Well, this little lady is with me." Mu told her with a smirk.

"Well, then I guess this is good bye for now." Natarle told him, as they shook hands.

As he and Flay walked, GINNs, DINNs and CGUEs were launching from space, and Submarines, while BuCUE's, and LaGOWEs take the land, and with GOOhNs, and ZnO's a more advanced version took the sea. "Here." he said handing Flay his transfer papers.

"What?" she asked.

"Go to California, its untouched by the war, so you should be safe there. I have fogotten something." Mu told her running off into the building, as then the alarms began. Outside the battle began, as the Duel made the initial attack, firing several missiles upon several Earth Forces ships, destroying them. However a DINN fell prey to a Proteus Mobile Armor's Plasma cannon. Yzak angered by this shot back, shooting the beam right through the head of the mobile armor.

* * *

PLANTs: Aprilius One

The gazebo was now deserted except for Kira, and he had time to muse on what had brought him this far... and where he'd go from here. Yet there wasn't anything to think about anymore; not really. The choice was made. All that remained now was determining how to carry out his decision...

The small building's door slid aside, and Allenby stepped in and for some reason, wearing a top flight uniform. "Kira...?" she called softly. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Kira shook his head. "It's time I left here," he told her simply. "I... I can't stay here any longer."

Somehow she wasn't surprised; this was something she'd seen coming ever since he started acting restless... ever since he mentioned there was someone waiting for him. "I see. But... where were you thinking of going?"

"I have to return to Earth. I..." Kira paused, gathering his thoughts. "I still have things I need to do."

"But why?" Allenby asked. "Even if you go, what can you do? You're all alone..."

"No, I don't think so," he said slowly. "But even if I am... Well, think about it. If everyone decided not to act, because they thought it wouldn't do any good, then _nothing_ would be done. Then nothing would change... and nothing would end. I can't let it go on like this..."

Lacus heard his words as she was just outside the gazebo, and thought about them. _There's only so much one young man can do... That's why we've been trying to work from within to end this war. But... When that fails, what is left but to take direct action? Even if it's but a small ripple, one day it may grow into a large wave... and it will swallow even him..._

"I understand, Kira," Allenby told him, as she smiled. "Maybe... I can help you with that. But... who will you be fighting? The Earth Forces, or ZAFT?"

"Neither." Kira told her. "I want to end this war, just so we can all live in peace." He told her, as she nodded.

"Alright, Lacus!" Allenby called, as Lacus came in.

"What is it Alley?" She asked.

"I think, its time, we give Kira a proper sword." Allenby told her, as Lacus nodded.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kira was led into the manor by both Lacus and Allenby. As Lacus Butler, Wimfree came in. "Here is the uniform you asked for Miss Clyne." he said holding out a folded ZAFT elite uniform.

Lacus nodded to her Butler "Thank, now I would like you to inform them that from now on, Lacus Clyne will be singing 'The Song of Peace'."

* * *

A while later, Lacus, Allenby, and Kira all floated in a cooridor of a certain facility. "Hello." Lacus said with a smile, as she and the other two, floated by ZAFT soldiers, as they floated to a large door, as Lacus nodded to the soldier. The soldier, slid his Identification card through a card slot, to unlock the door he was guarding. With that, the three guests went in.

"Here it is," Lacus said, as they drifted out onto a catwalk. At a nod from the Pink Princess, Allenby activated the controls, and light blossomed in the chamber.

Kira gasped. "A Gundam," he whispered. Indeed, it bore lines remarkably similar to the Strike; but where the Strike had hard edges, this mobile suit was well-rounded, making the Strike look crude in comparison. Where the Strike had a blue torso, with red trim, this beauty had black and red, and where the Strike had the six wings of the Aile Striker, this had ten folded wings upon its back.

Allenby came floating over. "Actually, Gundam isn't what its called." She told him, as she shared his eyesight of the majestic machine infront of him. "Its known as the ZGMF-X10A Freedom." she told him.

"Gundam." Lacus repeated. "that _does_ sound more powerful, doesn't it?" she asked, as Allenby nodded. "However, under orders from Chairman Zala, ZAFT engineers designed a group of mobile suits with the same capabilities as the Earth Forces mobile suits they captured, then added state-of-the-art technology to it." Lacus told them.

"Over there." Allenby abruptly pointed over at the second machine in the hanger. "Is my own machine." She told him. Over where she pointed was another Machine. This machine looked nearly identical to the Freedom, however as seen behind the Wings, looked like weapons of that of the Buster Gundam. "The ZGMF-X08A Salva" she told him.

Kira looked puzzled as he stared at the other machine, then back at the Freedom. "But why... are you letting me...?"

"Because Kira." Allenby began floating over to him. "Is because we believe, this is the sword, that can help you with your goals."

And with that, they both drifted over to the Freedom a few minutes later; the pilot had changed into a flight suit. "You're sure?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Lacus said firmly. Floating towards them. "From now on, I too will be singing the great song of peace."

"But why?" Kira asked again.

"Because I feel this machine has the power you're going to need. Neither will alone, nor strength alone, will be enough. _That's_ why." Lacus turned to him. "Will this take you where you want to go? Will it help you when you get there?"

He stared at the Freedom. "Neither will alone... nor strength alone," he murmured. And he then felt Allenby's hand on his shoulder.

"Kira, your not going to be alone any more." She told him, as the next thing Kira knew, her lips had connected to his. Upon breaking, Kira stared into her eyes. "I will be with you, and if Sam survived, tell him, I'm sorry." she told him.

Kira settled into the Freedom's cockpit, strapped in, and began booting up the systems. He noticed much the same innovations as Kevin had. "N-jammer canceler...? Amazing! It has more than four times the power of the Strike!"

He activated main power, then phase-shift, and watched Lacus disappear, waving, behind the closing hatch. _Neither will alone..._ He pushed the vernier throttle forward. ..._Nor strength alone..._ He said, watching as Lacus, and Allenby waved at him, as the hatch closed. "This is why I have friends." Kira told himself, as he looked at the girl who kissed him one last time, as then it was safe to open the main hatch, leading out into space.

Ignoring the sudden radio chatter calling on him to stop, Kira powered up the Freedom's thrusters, and with a responsiveness the Strike never had, the wonderful machine shot out into open space.

* * *

The sudden theft and activation of the Freedom left ZAFT's defense forces scrambling to react, and the only units in range were a small handful of GINNs... which suited Kira just fine.

_They're no threat,_ he thought to himself, and simply blazed right past the first pair, who literally had no idea what had just gone by. Security regarding the new machines had been tight enough to prevent _any_ leakage, even with ZAFT itself.

"What _was_ that?" one of the pilots wondered.

"Whatever it was, it was fast," his partner breathed. "What could it be...?"

Up ahead, a second pair was more alert, and had their weapons ready and firing as the Freedom approached. "That's useless," Kira murmured to himself. "They have to know that can't hurt me..." He threw the Freedom into a dizzying evasive pattern, throwing off their aims, and drew his Lacerta beam sabers. "Just get out of my way!" he called out.

The two pilots were stunned by the stranger's speed, and by the ease with which his fiery blades swept out, sheering through armor and internal systems alike as they ripped through the GINNs' arms and heads.

In an instant, Kira was past, and nothing lay in his path but open space... and Earth itself. He didn't even notice the shuttle that he shot past... and thus had no idea that Athrun Zala had just passed him. After that, the new blazing sword, rushed towards its wielders home.

* * *

Authors Note: ha, Lacus and Kira is no more. Its now Kira and Allenby haha. Also Sam's past has come to light to the readers, its now when will it appear to the characters. Have a good time everyone, as I am now going to be working again soon, I will have less time writing. However after that, I will get a few months off, so its all good.

Have a good night all.

NukeDawg


	25. Chapter 25: Our Freedom from the Sky

Chapter 25: Our Freedom from the Sky

Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides Sam, his clones, and his machine also the crew of the S. Martin and Helen. Chaos Angel Darkheart owns Banken the commander of these ships. Everything else belongs to the creators of Gundam

* * *

JOSH-A Base:

Flay was wondering, just where is Commander La Flaga running off to, and decided to give chase. However, before she could go very far, the bases alarms were already ringing the sound of alert, within everyones ears. Mu La Flaga however, continued running throughout the base, seeing that, it was completely deserted. His hat flew off, within the midst, as he began to feel a familiar sensation. "This Feeling? Is he here?" Mu asked himself, drawing his gun, and going deeper into the base.

* * *

Aboard the _Archangel_, Kuzzey glanced up as he received a message. "Message from the Joint Operations Room, Ma'am!"

Murrue Ramius stared up at Sutherland's image on the comm screen. "Captain Sutherland! What's going on?"

_"JOSHUA Base is under attack,"_ Sutherland replied._"They tricked us! At the last moment they switched their target here, to JOSHUA, and all our forces are concentrated at Panama!"_

"Orders, Captain?"

_"All defense forces are to engage at once! We have to defend Alaska HQ!"_

"Yes, sir!" Sutherland's image vanished, and Ramius looked down at Neumann. "Engines at full, Ensign Neumann. We've been given our orders and the _Archangel_ is moving out!"

"You're kidding!" Kuzzey protested. "Without Kira, Samorei _or_ the Commander?" he asked, as Murrue regretfully nodded.

"Yes Crewman, without any of them. Now Archangel Move out!" She ordered, as the massive ship, began to take action.

* * *

Meanwhile, Natarle, had enough of what was going on, and left the line up, to go and help out with anything she could in defending the base. If this place fell, it would be the end of the war. . . Or so she thought. While at the same time, Commander La Flaga,The Commander, at that moment, was running through HQ's halls, increasingly confused. "What is going _on_ here? This place is empty!"

He halted after a few more paces, as a strange sensation filled his head again, telling him, he was getting closer. "This feeling... Is Rau Le Creuset here?" La Flaga redoubled his pace; if Le Creuset were indeed within the base itself, he'd have headed straight for one place. And with that, Mu came to the joint Operations room.

As he edged around to look in, he saw a white-uniformed silhouette standing over a console. "Well..." the man said softly.

A moment later, Le Creuset spun around and fired a burst from a machine pistol at La Flaga, who rushed into the room, using computer desks for cover. When he took another careful look, Le Creuset could just barely be seen around a corner, weapon raised.

"It's been awhile, Mu La Flaga," he said, sounding strangely amused. "I don't have time for fooling around; though we've just met again, I must apologize for leaving so soon." He smiled. "Though if you're still hanging around, your usefulness to the Earth Forces must be nearly at an end." Le Creuset laughed. "O Hawk of Endymion, how the mighty have fallen!"

"What are you talking about you Jackal!" Mu called out.

"For the Earth Forces to leave you here, you might as well just die." Rau told him, opening fire a single shot from his pistol. "I suggest you take a look around before you make any long term plan's Mu La Flaga!" Rau said, as before Mu can fire again, the white masked soldier was missing.

"Just what was that about?" Mu asked himself. He then had gotten to his feet, and was examining the various displays. "You know," he muttered, "for an operations room, there doesn't seem to be much going on right now..." he said, as someone came into the room.

"Capta. . .!" Natarle called, as she came into the room, only to see Mu La Flaga to be the rooms only occupant. "Commander, what's going on?" she asked him.

"Nothing good." Mu said, as he found exactly what Rau was looking at. "This can't be, They are planning on using THAT!" he yelled.

"Using what?" Natarle asked, as Mu came running at her, and then grabbing her arm.

"It doesn't matter, we have to run, Now!" He told her, as she went with him. "The top brass has really made my day today." He told her as the two ran down the hall towards the Spearhead hangar.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rau was heading towards his hangar, until he ran into some soldiers. "That's a ZAFT soldier!" one soldier called.

"Have they already broken into the base?" Another asked, as a small gunfight began. Rau however proved more than a match against the soldiers killing both of them, within a few seconds. However he noticed someone trying to hide. As he came down, Flay turned the corner aiming a gun at Rau.

"Well well." He said, as he then saw something in her eyes.

"Daddy?" She asked, as that caught Rau by surprise, as it seemed she recognized his voice for her fathers.

"No no my dear." Rau said, as before Flay knew it, an unconsious blow was forced into her adomenen knocking her unconcious. "I am not your father, however, you can help me with some things, Miss Allster." He said with a sinister Smirk.

* * *

Meanwhile, The elevator slid open, and they ran out into the hanger; La Flaga headed off to find out who was in charge, with Natarle right behind him. La Flaga raced over to the first officer he saw, who was shouting over the radio. "Say again? What about the Eleventh Air Defense Corps? It's destroyed? But that's impossible!"

The Hawk grabbed his shoulder. "Hey! Who's in charge here?"

"Answer him!" Natarle ordered the soldier, who stood in shock.

They didn't get an answer; there was instead an explosion, as a CGUE landed at the hanger entrance. "We've made it to entrance four," the pilot reported. "We've spotted Naturals and we're moving in." He reported, as a pair of GINN's also appeared.

With this, the two former Archangel officers ran next to which a mechanic was on his knees, looking dazed. "Hey!" he shouted, grabbing the man's shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself! You've got to evacuate! Gather the survivors and get at least ten kilometers from the base! You hear me? That's an order!" Mu ordered him, as Natarle climbed into the lone F-7D Spearhead fighter plane. She was not a fighter pilot, so took the Navigators seat, as seconds later, Mu hopped into the pilot, and fired a pair of anti aircraft missiles from the Plane at the now lone GINN. "Hold on tight Natarle, this is going to get nasty." He told her, as he kicked in the Planes main thrusters, and sent it out, into the massive battle.

* * *

Meanwile, At the Marshall Islands:

Nicol emerged from the Orb Helicopter, to see the Carnage that had happened, as he saw the destroyed Aegis Gundam. "No Athrun." Nicol said in shock.

"Yes, young child." Rondo Ghina Sahaku said behind him. "The Buster, and Duel were also destroyed during this battle, as the Junk Guild, already got here, to take both of those machines." Ghina told him, as Nicol was in the state of shock, seeing the destroyed Aegis. "I know of how you feel, Let such Hatred continue. You see, ZAFT was unable to help your friends, they were unable protect Junius Seven." Rondo continued.

"What are you trying to get at Ghina?" Nicol asked, his voice deep with sadness.

Ghina smirked at the question. "Straight to the point, I like that in people that I would like the Recruit." Ghina told him, as Nicol looked at him. "You see, young Amalfi, I would like you to join the Sahaku Faction." he told him. "And this, I promise you, that no harm will come to the PLANTs." Ghina told him, holding out his hand, and with that Nicol shaked it.

* * *

Orb: Sahaku Mansion

Mina sat in the room, as she slept in the upright position. Next to her, Samorei layed, still unconscious, as he has been for several weeks, as in his mind, he stood in a dark area.

_Looking back and forth, wondering what was going on, as in his mind. Images, of the dead that he has caused, the dead that he could of prevented swirled around him. "No Stop, STOP!" Samorei yelled in his mind. "Please, I'm sorry, Rin, please help me! I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry!" He called, as he fell to his knee's yelling within his mind. _

"_Sa. . . Morei. . ."_ _A female's voice called, to Sam, it was not one, he knew, or knows. _

"_Who's there?" Sam called out._

"_Wake . . . Up. . ." The mysterious female's voice called out to him. _

And with that, in the real world Sam's eyes slowly opened.

* * *

Back in JOSH-A

The Archangel, had begun its attack on the ZAFT forces, using Gottfrieds, Igelstellungs, Valiants, and various missiles on the enemy.

The Spearhead plane, with the accomidation of both Mu, and Natarle looked down, to see that the ship they were once stationed on, heavily damaged, with its Starboard Catapult, with a huge gaping hole, and several weapon on the ship destroyed. "There she is." Mu commented.

"It looks like she has been in a battle for weeks." Natarle commented.

"_Archangel_, this is La Flaga, do you read me?" the Commander radioed. "_Archangel_, answer me!" He sighed. "Can't get through, Natarle hold on, this may get ugly." he told her.

"What? What are you talking about?" Natarle asked, as the Plane began to shift its flight pattern, for a landing. "What, Are you crazy! We'll never live with this, its impossible!" She said, as Mu looked back with a Smirk.

"Well then, your lucky being with me, because I can make the Impossible Possible." Mu told her, as he began to have the plane go in, for a landing within a big gaping hole. The one craft, then began to hurtle down toward the gaping hole in the _Archangel_'s starboard flight deck, and on the Bridge Mir looked at her displays in surprise. "Incoming aircraft!" she reported. "It looks like it's damaged!"

Ramius could see it for herself on the screen. "Is he going to try for a landing?"

"But that's crazy!" Neumann said, shaking his head.

Ramius snatched up her intercom handset. "Deck crew! Some nut in an aircraft is trying to make a landing! Take shelter!"

"Everyone get out of my way! Yaaahhh!" La Flaga's fighter, now damaged by a CGUE's beam rifle, careened down into the ship's hanger, slowing to a stop as the elastic barrier caught it.

Murdoch and one of his people stared in surprise as the pilot jumped out of the fighter, with its Navigator right behind him, as they both headed for the Bridge. "Was that Commander La Flaga, and Lieutenant Badgiruel?" he asked.

Within a few minutes the Bridge elevator door slid open, and La Flaga and Natarle stepped through. "Captain!" The two supposed transferred soldiers called out, as Natarle jumped to the lower area, in the CIC.

Ramius turned in surprise. "What in the world are you two doing here, Commander? What about your transfers?" she asked.

"That's not important. We gotta get out of here, right now!" He hurried to her side. "This is one messed up plan," he said harshly. "What kind of orders did they give the defense forces?"

"What?"

A rocking hit rocked the Bridge, but La Flaga ignored it and raised a hand, palm up. "Okay, now listen up. There's a large Cyclops system underneath headquarters. That thing is powerful enough to turn everything within ten kilometers of the base into a blast furnace!"

The entire Bridge crew looked at him in shock. "What?" Ramius blinked, mind refusing to accept it.

"Soon the defenders will be gone, and the main gate will fall. That's when Headquarters will make the decision to activate the Cyclops, and destroy the base!" La Flaga hissed angrily. "And in the process, they'll take out more than half of ZAFT's fighting strength. That's the scenario for this whole battle as imagined by the top brass!" His voice dripped fury and sarcasm.

"It can't be!" the Captain protested.

"I swear I saw it with my own eyes; the command center is empty." The pilot looked enraged. "All that's left to defend the base are the Eurasian forces and the _Archangel_, because those bigwigs have given up on her!"

Neumann turned in his seat. "So we're all expendable? Is _that_ what you're saying?"

La Flaga nodded. "But only after a desperate battle, so the enemy doesn't know it's abandoned."

"What kind of plan is this?" Heads turned at Mir's despairing voice. "Because this is a war, and because we're all supposed to be good soldiers," she went on. "If they tell us to, I guess we're supposed to just throw away our lives."

Sai looked at her, concerned. "Oh, Mir..."

Captain Murrue Ramius stood. "If the whole purpose of this battle was to lure the enemy into a trap, then in my opinion this ship has already accomplished its mission," she said decisively. "Note that I, Murrue Ramius, Captain of the _Archangel_, made this decision alone; no other crew member is to be held responsible for these actions."

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself," La Flaga said softly.

"The _Archangel_will now abandon the combat area and make its withdrawal." She looked back at Kuzzey. "Signal the fleet; tell them to follow us."

"This won't be an easy escape for us, but we can't just give up." The Hawk of Endymion leaned toward her. "I'm launching too."

"But, Commander-"

He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about a thing. Have you forgotten? I'm the guy who's famous for making the impossible possible."

"Besides Captain, we can't have the Archangel, just die here!" Natarle called out. "We can't just let Kira's, Samorei's, and. . ." she began looking at Mir with a concerned look, knowing this had hurt her. "Tolle's sacrifice be in vain." With that the ship shook.

"Damn." Mu said, as he gave up on going out again, and climbed into the second helmsman seat.

The battle raged on, with Kuzzey making occasional reports on the status of the other ships and ZAFT's penetration of the base. "Captain, they've taken the main gate!"

"Damn." Murrue said herself, as down in the CIC Natarle began.

"Charge the Portside Lohengrin, if they don't let us through, we need to use it!" She ordered, as Mu grabbed the helms control, to help out Neuman.

"Okay, we've given you the main gate," La Flaga muttered, "so why not just let us _leave_ now?"

"Incoming missiles!"

Natarle tried to give orders, however it was to late, the missiles struck, as the Archangel began to lose altitude. "Thrust is decreasing, I'm losing ship's stability!" Neumann said through gritted teeth, struggling with the flight controls.

"Mr. Pal, fire Lohengrins!"

Pal complied without hesitation, Firing the single remaining positron cannon certainly got their attention; a _Vosgulov_carrier simply vanished, as did a pair of DINNs preparing to resupply.

The ZAFT pilots evidently did not appreciate this. "Mobile suits approaching!" Tonomura reported... and a GINN, riding a Guul, appeared in front of the _Archangel_'s superstructure. It raised its machine gun, leveling it directly at the Bridge viewports.

Ramius' eyes narrowed, accepting death with defiance; Sai closed his eyes; Kuzzey cried out and jumped from his chair, as if seeking cover, as the glowed of live ammo, began to fill the nozzle of the GINN's machine gun.And a green beam came down from the sky, blasting the weapon in half. "What the?" The machine's pilot looked up, and down came a winged mobile suit from on high. It drew a beam saber and sliced down, lopping off the GINN's head and leaving it blind.

Ramius blinked. "What...?"

The newcomer rose up, wings outstretched, and hovered protectively before the _Archangel_. As the stunned crew stared at it, its wings spread wide.

"Archangel_, this is Kira Yamato,"_ the Freedom radioed. _"I'll cover you. Meanwhile, please withdraw to safety."_

Mir looked up in shock. "Kira?"

Sai grinned. "It _is_ Kira!"

Ramius' eyes went wide in stunned amazement. _"Our..._ Kira?" she asked, as the once thought dead soldier, was now floating in the air, with a several times stronger mobile suit, then that of the destroyed Strike Gundam.

The Freedom flew forward, and the targeting display in the cockpit rose before Kira's eyes. The red circles of target locks began to surround the multitude of enemies, and the Freedom's weapons deployed: Xiphias railguns on the hips, Lupus beam rifle in hand, and Balaena plasma beam cannons over the shoulders.

They all fired at once, many times, and enemy mobile suits began to fall back, heads and arms blown off; the Freedom was locking onto almost everything in the area, and its advanced targeting computer was aiming with exquisite precision.

"What in the world just happened?" Yzak demanded, seeing the carnage. Of several comrades Machines, either fell from the sky, or began retreating, with a few falling to the sea, which led them to be destroyed by the Earth Forces, Proteus Mobile armors.

The Freedom flashed past the _Archangel_'s bow, and Kira's face appeared on the main screen. _"Please, stop wasting time! Withdraw!"_

"Yes," Ramius began, confused and in a certain amount of shock over the battle's occurrences, "but there's a... a Cyclops... beneath headquarters!" Kira drew in a sharp breath, and she went on, almost desperately. "We're all just bait!" Ramius's head jerked forward, eyes filling. "They planned this! We had no idea! That's why we can't withdraw! We have to get farther away from the base!"

Kira nodded. "I understand." He piloted the Freedom forward, toward the ZAFT forces arrayed before them, and deployed his weaponry again. "Attention, all ZAFT and Earth Alliance forces!" he called over the radio. "Any moment now, the Cyclops system will activate, and the Alaska base will self-destruct! Both sides, please, cease fighting and withdraw from this area immediately! Repeat, the Cyclops system will activate and the Alaska base will self-destruct! Both sides, please cease fighting and withdraw immediately!"

"That kid," La Flaga murmured in amazement.

"Come on, Kira..." Ramius said quietly.

"I'm not falling for that!" Yzak shouted. His machine shot across the sky at Kira, beam saber drawn.

"The Duel. . . Yzak." Kira thought , as he remembered the Jade Frame taking the hit for Tolle, in a futile attempt to protect the grasper. "I'll make sure you are not destroyed, for Samorei." Kira commented to himself. and rushed to meet Yzak. He took the Duel's strike on his shield, and met its fist with his own. "I told you to stop! Don't you wanna live?"

"What do you mean?" Yzak aimed his railgun and fired.

The Freedom's head jerked to the side, and the powerful machine flew backwards. He flipped sideways to dodge another saber strike, drew his own, and swept the blade toward the Duel.

Yzak cried out as he saw the energy blade coming straight toward his cockpit, and for a moment he was convinced he would die in much the same manner Nicol Amalfi had. He squeezed his eyes shut... however, the Freedom, lowered the beam sabre, taking out the Duel from the knees.

"Forget about fighting and get yourself out of here!" Kira shouted; his machine used the Duel's back as a springboard and flew off, leaving the crippled mobile suit to drop. And with that, a DINN caught the Duel, and began the retreat. Yzak stared after the departing enemy in surprise. "He didn't...? But why?"

Seconds later, Sai shouted a report. "They've activated the Cyclops!"

Ramius' response came instantly. "Maximum thrust! _Get us outta here!"_

"Divert all weapon power to the Engines, Fire one shot with the Lohengrin, we need to use the Positronic Interference!" She ordered, as the Archangel's lone Lohengrin fired one more time, destroying all friction in its path, allowing the Archangel to pick up even more speed than its Engines could provide. And with that, the Earth Forces trump card, the Cyclops began to engulf the area behind them. The unlucky mobile suits behind them, had all water, within them, and their pilots began to boil over, killing everything in its path. ZAFT, Earth Forces, and even Civilians died with the Cyclops system.

Behind them, a massive wave front of microwave radiation crawled across the land, sea, and sky, ripping up the ground and blasting mobile suits into burned-out hulks. Everything inside the Alaska base collapsed, the ZAFT forces learning too late the price of victory.

Both sides had indeed ceased fighting; it was now every man for himself, and mobile suits fled the onslaught. One GINN, the one Kira had decapitated as his opening move, lagged behind, and its Guul was caught in the searing heat. It exploded, and the GINN began to drop... and the Freedom caught its hand. "I've gotcha," Kira said reassuringly.

The Alaska base finally exploded, as the Cyclops ate itself; aboard a Vosgulov, its captain's jaw sagged in disbelief. "Can't be!"

"It seems we fell right into the trap the Naturals set for us," Le Creuset said calmly behind him. Oddly, he smiled...

* * *

Hours later, Well outside the blast zone, Mu La Flaga had walked out of the archangel and looked back on the devastation. He'd never thought he'd ever have to outrun a Cyclops again.

Nearby, Kira knelt next to the pilot of the GINN he had rescued. "Are you okay? Try to stay awake."

The pilot looked up at him. "Were you... the pilot... of that mobile suit?" he asked weakly.

Kira nodded. "I was."

"Why'd you... try to save me?"

He shrugged. "Because it was something I wanted to do."

The ZAFT pilot smiled weakly. "It would have been quicker... if you'd just dropped me... back there..." His head slumped, eyes closed forever.

Kira hissed and slammed his fist into the ground. "No!" Why did so many have to die? Why did it always end like this?

* * *

Millions of kilometers above, Athrun stepped out of his shuttle and looked around, puzzled. All around him, people were talking in varying degrees of incredulity and rage. _What's going on?_

He spotted a familiar face and stepped forward. "Commander Yuki!"

"Athrun Zala?" The commander looked surprised. "What are you doing back here in the PLANTs?"

"I'll tell you, but first... What's going on?"

Yuki sighed. "Operation Spit Break has failed." Athrun gasped. "Reports are still coming in, but it looks like they were... annihilated."

"But how?"

"We're not sure yet." He leaned close. "I'm afraid I have one more piece of bad news for you," Yuki said quietly. "One of our top-secret mobile suits, one of the new ones we were developing, has been stolen. We're not sure yet who the thief is... but it seems the person who gave him access was none other than Lacus Clyne."

Athrun dropped his travel case in shock. "It... it can't be. I _know_ Lacus. She wouldn't do this!"

* * *

The Archangel crew watched a lone soldier walking towards them, sporting a ZAFT elite uniform. With helmet in hand, and came to a stop in front of Ramius. "I guess I made it," he said with a smile, "just in time."

"Is it really... you, Kira?" she asked tentatively.

He nodded. "It's me."

Mir was the first to break the stillness, rushing toward him. "Kira!"

Soon, the other crew surrounded Kira, bubbling with excitement... except for Sai and Kuzzey, who held back, just happy that their friend, was alive and well. Coming to their rescue as usual.

Kira saw past the gaggle to Sai, and he stepped toward them. "Sai, Kuzzey," he greeted them.

"I'm... glad to see you're all right," Sai said, tone strange.

Kira smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Sai." He turned back to Ramius and La Flaga. "I bet you've got a couple of million questions for me," he said cheerfully.

Ramius smiled back, her expression full of emotion. "At least."

"First things first," La Flaga said, noting Kira's flight suit. "Were you with ZAFT?"

The younger pilot nodded. "Yes, I was with ZAFT; but I haven't become a ZAFT soldier." He glanced at the Captain. "However, I'm not with the Earth Forces anymore, either."

Ramius was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in understanding; besides, from the looks of things, it might not be very healthy for _any_ of them to return to the Earth Forces. "I see. There's a lot of things we'll have to talk about. But first, what do we do about that mobile suit?" She nodded at the Freedom, standing motionless behind them.

"If you're talking about maintenance and resupply," Kira replied, "it's not necessary just now. You see, it has a Neutron-jammer canceller."

"Neutron-jammer canceller?" La Flaga's eyebrows rose.

Chandra, too, looked surprised. "So is that thing powered by a nuclear engine?"

"Where'd you get it?" Pal asked.

Kira's expression closed. "If you ask for specifics, you won't get anything out of me, and I'll have to leave," he said carefully. "And even if I have to fight you, I won't let you take this machine from me."

Ramius blinked. "But, Kira..."

"This kid..." La Flaga said softly.

"This machine was entrusted to _me_," Kira went on, ignoring his friend's warning. "I'll be the one to take care of it."

"I understand," Ramius said, recovering. "I give you my word we'll leave that machine and the equipment inside alone." She looked over her shoulder at the gathered crew. "Is that clear?"

Kira smiled. "Thanks for understanding."

* * *

Athrun Zala stood amidst the ransacked wreckage that had once been the Clyne Residence, his heart in turmoil. Learning that his fiancé had given a spy access to a top-secret mobile suit had been bad enough; hearing his father brand Lacus and her father Siegel traitors and order their arrest had been an even greater shock... especially after he'd seen what his father's people had done to the Clynes' home.

His mind wrapped around not fully wishing to believe Lacus Clyne, was a traitor to the PLANTs. But that was not his purpose here today. He wasn't quite sure _what_ he was looking for, but he expected he'd know it if he found it.

A sudden sound in the remains of the garden startled him, and Athrun's hand ducked past his sling to the gun hidden in his jacket. Then he relaxed, puzzled, as Lacus Clyne's favorite Haro (a type of robot pet he'd made for her), came bouncing out of the brush, muttering to itself.

Before he could catch it, the pink ball bounced away down the path, apparently leading him somewhere. "Haro!" he called, and the little machine stopped, bouncing into his hand before a specific spot.

Athrun recognized it from an earlier visit. _"These flowers come from the theater where I first sang in public,"_ Lacus had told him. _"They're something to remember it by."_

He stood still for a moment. _Something to remember it by... The White Symphony..._

Athrun took off running.

* * *

Earth, Archangel:

"So that was their strategy?"

Kira stood on the _Archangel_'s Bridge, leaning against the forward viewports. He was back in uniform, whereas Snake had abandoned uniform completely, reverting to the same outfit which had been his trademark both on Heliopolis and the ship.

"As far as we can determine," La Flaga acknowledged. The entire Bridge crew was gathered in the forward section, while they pondered their next move.

"_And_ they made the decision not to tell us a thing about it," Ramius said, anger in her voice.

"Headquarters obviously knew well in advance that Alaska was the target," La Flaga went on. "It must have taken awhile to build that Cyclops, and there wouldn't have been any point without advance knowledge of a massive attack."

Kira looked at the deck, thinking back. _"I have bad news, Clyne,"_ Eileen Canaver had said. _"It seems that Zala's deceived us. Panama _isn't _Operation Spit Break's target; it's Alaska."_

"The PLANTs didn't know, either," Kira said, almost to himself. Ignoring their looks of surprise, he glanced up. "So, what are your plans? Have you decided where the _Archangel_'s going from here?"

"We haven't been able to reestablish contact with headquarters yet due to the N-jammers and magnetic fields," Tonomura said.

"Should we make repairs in the field, and then head to Panama on our own?" Neumann wondered aloud.

La Flaga snorted. "Oh, you think they'll be happy to see us? We knew far too much for our own good. I don't think it would be very smart to head there."

"They'd probably say we disobeyed orders," Ramius said moodily. "That we deserted in the face of the enemy, just to save ourselves."

"They'll treat us like Traitors." Natarle added in.

"Just like they think Samorei is one." Mu commented, getting Kira's attention.

"What?" Kira asked.

"It seems Sam was once a Earth Forces Soldier, however deserted for some reason." Natarle answered him.

"It's becoming more and more difficult to understand just who or what we're fighting for," she said, tone a mixture of anger and despair.

"Ms. Murrue," Kira said, "what is it you think we _should_be fighting against, to end all this?" When all eyes turned to him, he looked up. "Whatever it is, I think it's time we started fighting against it."

* * *

Orb: Sahaku Residence.

Sam began to sit up in the bed, as with that, Mina's eye shot open. "SAM!" she said, surprised, as Sam began to lean up, with the blankets falling down, revealing several bandages wrapped around his bare ribs.

"Hey Mina." Sam said, a bit groggy as he leaned up, feeling the pain of broken ribs, and sore shoulder. She came over instantly seeing the pain Sam was in from the look of his face.

"Easy Sam, don't over exert yourself, you did survive on nasty explosion." She told him, placing a hand an uninjured shoulder.

"What? What happened? The last thing I remember was the sky filling with fire." Sam told her, refering the the self detonation of the Aegis.

"Your back in Orb Sam, the Jade Frame however was severely damaged." She told him.

"I see, any news on Kira or Tolle?" he asked her remembering the hit he took.

"Kira, I have no Idea, Cagalli couldn't find him, however Tolle was found, alive." She informed him.

"I see, I hope everything is alright with the Archangel." He mused, as she just nodded sitting on the bed with him.

"I'm just glad you are alive Sam." She told him, placing a hand on his, as he turned the hand, so he could hold hers.

"Thanks, and you know I wont die, with you by my side like this." he said, as she just smirked. "To cheesy huh?" he asked as Mina nodded.

"Its cheesy, but I like it." she told him, as he smirked at that. "Now you should rest, some of your wounds have healed, but not all of them." She continued, as she stood.

* * *

Meanwhile:

In the PLANTs Athrun stepped out of his car in front of the old theater, reading the battered sign that said _White Symphony_. From the looks of things, the building had been abandoned at least since the start of the war, maybe longer; it was unusual to see a building in such poor shape in the PLANTs.

Stepping through the old doors, his hand reached into his jacket, checking the grips of the submachine gun hidden within. In his left, nearly useless hand, he carried the pink Haro that had led him to come here. If Athrun was right, the person he was seeking would be here.

This seemed to be confirmed by the soft singing coming from somewhere ahead, and the old lettering on the walls: _Lacus Clyne._ The voice was definitely familiar, though he had not heard the song before.

Athrun quietly drew the submachine gun and climbed the staircase leading to the amphitheater. At the top, the singing growing nearer, he raced quietly to the door and edged it open, peering cautiously through it. "Lacus," he whispered, seeing the figure on the stage.

He walked slowly down toward the stage, Lacus Clyne's song water serenade to his mind images from his past battles, from his last face-to-face encounter with Kira... before he killed him. There was a bittersweet sound to it all, the more so since it appeared now that even Lacus had betrayed him...

Athrun neared the stage, and the Haro jumped out of his hand and bounced up to Lacus. She stopped her singing and smiled down at the robot. "Well, hello there, Mr. Pink!" She turned to Athrun. "I was certain you'd be the one to find him and bring him here! Thank you so much."

He couldn't contain himself any longer. "_Why_, Lacus?"

"'Why' what?" she asked sensibly.

Athrun jumped up onto the stage. "You know what. Just what have you done?"

Lacus smiled. "I'm sure you've heard all about it. That's why you came to see me, isn't it?"

"Is it true what they're saying about you?" he demanded. "That you're guilty of providing assistance to an enemy spy?"

"I did not provide assistance to an enemy spy," she said calmly. "All I did was decide to provide Kira" and she emphasized the name "with a newer, better sword."

Athrun drew back, confused. "Kira? But-"

"Because I thought that he would have need of it soon," Lacus went on, "and because I thought it would serve its purpose best in Kira's hands."

"What are you talking about, Lacus?" he demanded, utterly bemused. "Kira's gone! I-"

"That is the thing Athrun." And with that he turned to see Allenby aiming a side arm pistol at him, as she was wearing a pink and blue version of the ZAFT uniform. "You think you did, however Kira is alive an well, as I am." she said, as Athrun stared in shock, as he knew that of Yzak's report, of the defeat of the Desert Tiger, and Allenby, who upon died, earned the title as the Desert Blossom.

Athrun shook his head violently. "You're lying!" His machine pistol snapped into firing position, pointing directly at his erstwhile fiancé. "Just what kind of trick are you trying to pull now, Lacus Clyne? Kira's gone! There's no way he could be alive! I killed him!"

"Reverend Malchio and brought him to me," Lacus explained. "Then I found out what happened between you two; Kira told me." She tilted her head. "Don't you believe what I'm telling you? Do you even believe what you've seen with your own eyes? On the battlefield, or now that you've returned to the PLANTs after being away for so long? Haven't you seen that things are different?"

Now that she mentioned it... his father's uncertain, paranoid temper, the new mobile suits with N-jammer cancellers...

"What _is_it you believe in?" she challenged him. "What is it you're fighting for now? Is it for that medal you received? Or your father's orders? Think about that; because if you continue on this course, you'll likely end up facing Kira as his enemy again." That got Athrun's attention. "And you'll be fighting me, as well." Lacus stood and walked right up to him, almost daring him to pull the trigger. "If I am to be your enemy, then you might as well shoot me now," she said in a determined voice. "Athrun Zala, soldier of ZAFT!"

He looked away, tears in his eyes, and lowered his gun. "I... It's all so..."

"It's Lacus!"

At the echoing whisper, they both turned, to see armed men in black suits and sunglasses running toward them. As he raised his gun again, the apparent leader of the gunman, a man with a mustache, smiled. "I see you've found her. You have our thanks, Athrun Zala."

"What is this?" he demanded, unconcerned that he had just nearly shot her himself.

"Naturally, her fiancé would know her best. You've saved us time." The man gestured with his machine pistol. "Now, please step away from her."

"What do you think you're doing?" Athrun stayed right where he was. Just as the guns aimed, Alley moved her body in between Lacus and the guns.

"Tell me Athrun, are you truly willing to turn your back, on your closest friend, just because of the Nebula?" Allenby asked, and with that, several gunshots were fired, but not from the guns on stage. "Are you all right, Miss Lacus?" DaCoasta asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Lacus walked out from cover. "Thank you very much, Athrun!"

"Are you finished here, Miss Lacus? I think it's time _we_ got going as well."

"And Reverend Malchio?"

"He was able to take off safely." The man tucked away his gun. "We'd better go."

"Yes." She looked back at Athrun. "You'll find Kira on Earth," she told him. "I suggest that you have a talk with him; he _is_ your friend."

"Lacus!" Athrun broke off, glancing away.

"Be Safe Athrun." Allenby told him.

* * *

A day later, the sling finally removed from his now-healed arm, Athrun sat in the cockpit of X09A Justice, waiting for the command to launch.

Mechanics swarmed around, making final adjustments and disconnecting power and mooring cables. _"Check reactor readings."_

_Kira..._ he thought. _What are you thinking about now?_

_"Radiation levels are normal."_

_"Confirm separation of X09A."_

_"Separation of X09A confirmed."_ The voice's tone changed. _"May our Justice have the divine protection of the stars!"_

"Athrun Zala," Athrun said into the radio. "Justice launching!"

The red mobile suit, resembling his old Aegis with the addition of the backpack-light subflight system, launched out into space, heading for Earth


	26. Chapter 26: N4A2 Nosforatu

Chapter 26: N4A2 (Nosforatu)

* * *

Two weeks has passed since Samorei awakened from his months sleep. He walked down the halls, still with his right arm was still in its cast, however his leg was completely healed, allowing him to walk the halls. He had heard news, that the Archangel was coming to Orb once again, and has received heavy damage. However, before it arrived, Mina had insisted that he'd go to Morgenrete before the ship arrived, in which he was doing. He left the manor, for the first time, in weeks in which he was not use to the natural light, causing him to cover his eyes, until they got used to such light once again.

Ahead of him, his clone Savir, and Mina were waiting by the Limo for Samorei, which he came to them. Mina nodded at Savir, as the clone did so back, and with that, all three of them, climbed into the back seats of the strecthed car. "So what is this about?" Sam asked, to break the long silence since the ride began.

"As Azure would say, your queen, has a gift for you." Savir told him, which had Sam look at Mina with a surprised look.

"What sort of surprise?" He asked, with an all of sudden curiosity, as he looked at lady Sahaku.

She just smirked, as she shrugged. "Just some things of the AMATU." she told him, which got him curious, as he never heard of the AMATU. This had him pondering, all the way, until the pulled up to the mobile suit factory.

* * *

Meanwhile, heading towards ORB waters, was a heavily battered Archangel, with a bit of an odd company. About five Proteus Mobile Armors were swimming underneath the mighty ship. They were that of the last of the Earth Forces, that were left at JOSH-A to die. Most of the ships crew, were still shakened from the event, and more with the curiosity of the ZAFT mobile suit in their hangar, the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. Which they were not allowed to touch, ordered by both their captain, and the mobile weapons pilot. Of which, was standing on the bridge, along with the ships other pilot, and the bridge crew. Which they began to see Orb once again. "I never thought we'd be coming back her, so soon." Natarle commented, as Murrue nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, so much has happened, since we were last here." she commented.

"More than any of us can comprehend." Kira told them, looking over to Mir, who he felt responsible for what happened to Tolle that day, he kept on thinking that, until Kuzzey got something on his communications head set.

"Captain, Orb forces are giving us the all clear sign to enter their shores." he informed his captain.

Sai then got something weird on his sensors. "Captain, incoming Moible Suit." He called.

"What is it? Is it ZAFT?" she asked.

"No commander. . . I don't believe it, its the Jade Frame!" he called.

* * *

As outside, indeed, a machine resembling the Jade Frame was approaching. Its general Design was the same, as the original, where it once was white, is now black in color. Its head changed from the original version, was more sleek, and resembled the AMATU's own head with two g weapon type eyes, along with a mono eye above the original two. Its Beam sabers were removed from its forearms, while on the right hand, seemed almost like a pincer upon the right forearm. Within its shoulders, it had handles of a pair of beam sabers, which also look like they could connect with each other. On the back of the machine, were a pair of black longspears, connected to the flight pack, of the old Raikou pack. Upon the right shoulder of the Machine, was an Orb Emblem, overlayed with the Sahaku Family Crest of a pair of golden hawk wings, and golden Talons to match. Inside, Rondo Mina Sahaku smiled, as she flew the machine, with Samorei, in an actual second seat, like Mina usually was, in a make shift one, in the Jade Frame. "Archangel, this is Rondo Mina Sahaku, flying the MBF-P04 N4A2 Jade Frame." she radioed.

That was when the image of the Archangel crew appeared on her screen. Which was a new version of the old, as the inside of the Machine was completely new of Orb technology. "_Lady Mina, it is good to see you." _Murrue said, as then all of a sudden, she got a surprised Look, as she saw who was behind the Orb Nobleman. "Sa. . . Sa. . ."

"Hello Captain, its good to see you are alive." Samorei replied, as on the ship, everyone began to whisper things, wondering if this was the real, or another Clone. "Don't worry all of you, I'm the real deal." he confirmed to them.

Mina nodded. "Were coming in for a landing." She said, as the upgraded version of the Jade Frame, began to head for the hangar of the ship.

* * *

The newly formed machine, landed in the hangar of the Archangel, it powered down, into its slate gray form, that it used to take within the hangar. Both Mina, and Sam first took notice of what was in the hangar. Now where the Strike Once was, now stood a fully repaired Buster.

"The Buster?" Sam asked, as he lowered on the zip line, as Mina went down ahead of him. Sam was in his Morgenrete uniform, while Mina, was in her black, and golden flight suit. Then he looked over on the otherside, and saw a very majestic like Machine, the Freedom. "What in the?" he asked.

"Its the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam." Kira said, as he walked in catching a very surprised look from Sam.

"Kira, you're. . ." Sam began, as he witnessed the Aegis' destruction.

"Alive?" Mina asked, as she heard about the Strikes Demise before it was transfered. "But. . . But how?" she asked.

"That lady Sahaku, is a tale for another time." Kira told her. "However, I would like to have your cooperation, that maintenance will be up to me, on the Freedom." Kira told them.

"Wha. . . Why?" Sam asked him. "It looks like a Technological playground." he explained.

Kira smirked. "Alright, here is the deal then. I'll let you take a look at its technology, your just not allowed to take the data, of its primary system, the Neutron Jammer Canceler."

"What? Zaft has finally made the tech to counter act their own N-Jammers?" Sam asked astonished, as Kira nodded, confirming Sam's thoughts, as soon, as Kira mentioned the NJC. That he now knew the Freedom, was of something he hated, a Nuclear Weapon. With this, Sam turned to Mina and nodded, and with that, she left, while Kira and Sam stayed where they were. "Kira, if you don't mind, I would like to take down every piece of technological piece of this mobile suit." Sam told him. "However, I swear to you, I will not touch the canceler." Sam told him.

Kira nodded, accepting this. He cared for Orb, it was his homeland, and as Sam showed the same thing, the technology the Freedom had, could very well, create a peaceful future for the Orb Union.

* * *

Meanwhile on the Bridge.

Mina Sahaku entered the bridge, to see the battle weary, and battle scarred soldiers of the Archangel. "I see you are all as cheery as ever." Mina commented to them.

Mu smirked. "Yeah that happens, when you are about to get your insides boiled over." he commented.

Murrue had a bit of a giggle before she turned to one of the Lady's of Orb. "So lady Sahaku, what news have come to give us?" She asked.

Mina nodded. "Well, as you already know, Orb is willing to help this ship out, as now that it seems you wont be rejoining the Earth Alliance." she said, earning a nod, from most of the crew. "Well, then as of this moment then, I declare this ship a part of the Orb Military." she told them with a smirk. "Upon docking, you all can choose to either stay, or return to being a civilian, the choice is yours, and any would be respected." she commented to them, as Sai, Kuzzey, Mir, all looked at each other with smiles on their faces. "However, I strongly urge for all of you to join the military." she continued.

Murrue nodded, as she understood why. "I see, you want us to join, mainly because of our experience with this ship correct?" she asked the woman, who just nodded in agreement. "Alright, but I believe that this should wait, until we are on the mainland before anything big is decided." she told her.

Natarle came up, with a calm look on her face. She agreed with this, as she came over to Mina. "Lady Sahaku, I will be glad to join the Orb Military, right at this moment." she told her, holding out a hand.

"I see, and then welcome to the Orb Military Natarle Badgiruel. We will start the papers, once we reach the mainland." Mina told her. "Would anyone else, like to say they join right now?" she asked.

Mu just smirked. "I wonder, how well the Earth Forces, will act, when they just lost the Hawk. I'm in." he told her, as Mina just smirked. After a few moments, everyone else signed up, right on the spot. While the students from Heliopolis, are still a bit, iffy on such an invitation.

* * *

In the Hangar, Sam was in the cockpit of the Freedom, with Kira, as Kira helped Sam out, from extracting information on the machine. Besides that he was making sure Sam did not take the Neutron Jammer Canceler data. "This is quite the equipment." Sam said, turning on the Freedom's main computer systems. "I can't wait to start intigrating some of the equimpent into the Vampire." he told him.

"Vampire, is that what you call your machine that now, why?" Kira asked him.

"Its New Model Number, the MBF-P04 N4A2, which is a way of saying, Nosforatu, a Vampire from a very old movie." Sam Explained. Its actual name is Jade Frame V, but I just call it Vampire." he continued, as he began his data extraction.

"I see." Kira said, as he still had the flash in his mind, of the Jade Frame being impaled by the Strikes Shield. "Sam, I have a question." Kira began, as it got Sams attention. "During that last battle, was Tolle able to eject in time?" he asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, after I was awoke, Mina explained everything, even the fact, that Tolle survived the Ordeal." Sam told him, as Kira was surprised, and happy, that Tolle was alive, now he knew all his friends were still alive.

"We should be arriving at Orb soon, you can get ready for Departure Kira, I promise I wont take the NJC data." Sam informed him, as Kira nodded, taking the Zipline, down to the floor. With that, everyone on the bridge watched, as the nation they visited just a month ago got larger upon their monitors.

* * *

A few hours later, ORB, Onogoro Island Secret Harbor

Cagalli observed, the mobile assault ship carrier known as the Archangel, pulled into the harbor. Among the people that wached, were her father, the Yamatos, Seirans, Ghina Sahaku, who seemed to have an annoyed yet serious look upon his face. While two more occupants were among them, Erica Simmons, and the mystery woman from the meeting that the Yamato's and Uzumi had. Cagalli, could not hide her excitement, from the news she gotten a while ago, that one that was one thought dead, is actually alive. She moved past Ghina, as she went towards the ships main hatch.

She raced through the hatch as it opened and paused before an elevator door. As it opened, she stepped aside to let the ship's doctor and another crewman pass with a stretcher; she winced as she saw the man's injuries, for among other things, he seemed to have lost an eye. That made her nervous, for the _Archangel_'s message traffic had not included casualty lists.

The princess was soon walking the corridors of a higher deck, glancing down each side corridor... until she saw the face she was looking for, heading in the opposite direction down a parallel passage. _"Kira!"_

Kira turned. "Cagalli-! Oof!" Cagalli jumped at him, knocking him off his feet and slamming him painfully to the deck.

She didn't let him up, instead pounding her fist on his chest. "You _idiot!_How could you do something so stupid? You're just-!" Tears filled her eyes, streaming down her face. "You're so-" Cagalli hung her head, crying. "I thought... I'd never see you again... How could you do that to me?"

Kira let his head sink to the deck. "Sorry," he said quietly.

She finally looked up. "So you're... really alive?" she whispered.

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm alive. And I _did_ come back." he reassuring her, as not far from them, was the sound of a females laugh.

"Cagalli, do you really, have to do that here, right where everyone can see you?" the high classed voice asked, as Cagalli looked up, to see Rondo Mina Sahaku leaning against the wall not far from them. With that, she got off Kira, and stood up.

"Just, how long have you been there?" Cagalli asked her fellow nobleman. With only a reply of a smirk from her rival.

"Just long enough Athha." Mina replied, as she got a glare from Cagalli.

"Its not what you think." Cagalli informed her. "I just got over excited." she continued.

"Right, if you feel like calling it that, by all means do so." Mina replied, as Kira rubbed the back of his head, do to the collision with the ground, from Cagalli's tackle. "Just next time Cagalli, if you want to do that, don't get overexcited where others can see you." And with that, Mina left, leaving a flareing Cagalli behind her, as well as a confused Kira.

"Just what was that about?" Kira wondered, as he watched Mina leave, as well as turning to Cagalli.

"Nothing, its just well, ever since we were younger, she always picked on me, do to being younger, its just something we usually did back then. However, she doesn't do so much anymore, since Sam came to Orb."

* * *

Archangel Bridge: After Mina left, Uzumi, and Kisaka arrived. "I want to thank you for coming to our aid once again," Ramius said, bowing slightly to the former Chief Representative.

"You're quite welcome," Athha said graciously. "I'm sure you understand why we can't make you and your crew _too_ welcome as yet," he went on, "but at least you'll finally have a chance to get some rest before we discuss whoever is wishing to join the Orb Military." he added in.

"Thank you for understanding." She, too, understood; it could be awkward for Orb to be harboring deserters from the Earth Forces, particularly after all the trouble HQ had gone to to insure there would be none to tell the truth of what had happened. Hence his reason for having Mina ask for them to join Orb.

After you've all had a chance to relax, I'll bring you up-to-date on the latest intelligence we've gathered." Athha had an odd expression on his face. "With the Earth Forces Headquarters gone, the world has once again shifted in a new direction; and the news we've heard will give you much to think about. It may even make you question why you decided to put on that uniform in the first place."

Ramius tilted her head. _What?_

_

* * *

Mobile Suit Hangar:_

Samorei, just finished getting the blueprints of the Freedom, without the data on its power source. However, down below, Kira was showing Cagalli the Freedom, as she showed him, the new version of the Jade Frame. However Cagalli, felt like brining up a different topic. "I've seen Athrun, again." she told him, earning a surprise look.

"I see, what was it about?" he asked, as Samorei up above, listened in.

* * *

That Night: Marshall Islands

Within a bed, a woman, with long dark brown hair, layed out on the bed, sheets tossed around, as she wore a white nightgown. She continued to toss and turn, as a nightmare was going through her head.

_Explosions could be seen all round, as warriors explode along side them, with people screaming all around the area._ _An Angel was fighting three demons in the air, and the Demons, were winning_. _The Angel was losing a sword, versus scythe battle, being knocked away. With that all three of the Demons began to had energy glow infront of them. One in mid air, another from its chest, and the last one from within its mouth. The attacks all hit the angel dead on, with nothing left of it. As the angel was destroyed, the demons continued its destruction on the innocent people in the area._

Within the room, her eyes shot wide open, to reveal a pair of hazel eyes, as she shot up to be sitting in bed. Sweat dripping of her elegent cheek, as her breathing was harsh. "No, the angel it can't happen like that, not yet." she told herself as then the door opened, reveal a lot of kids, and Reverend Malchio.

"Momma, whats wrong?" The children called, as they came over to her. She patted two of the childrens heads, but then she looked at Malchio.

"Another of them?" he asked, as she nodded in agreement.

"Yes Reverend." she told him.

"I see, children, please, let Rosa rest, it was only a bad dream." he told them, leading each one of them out. "Or at least, lets hope, the ones Destiny, she dreamed of, doesn't end in such a way." he whispered, as Rosa sat in the bed, thinking, of the angel being blasted into atoms by the attacks.

"This fate, should not come true, no it can't, otherwise, the children, will be in danger of their future world." She told herself, as a familiar feeling was felt within her, it was faint, but it was there. "So? Is he coming?" she asked herself.

* * *

Orb, briefing room

The Archangel's head officers, all now wearing their old ranks corresponding, and each of them, were now wondering exactly of what they are going to hear. Even though they are now officially in the Orb Army. The rest of the crew, have been kept in the shadows. Uzumi came into the room, to see the officers now in Orb uniform. "I see, you are all looking comfortable in your new uniforms." he told them. "I feel a large portion of Sorrow, for what has become of your comrades at Joshua." he told them.

Murrue nodded. "We all feel a heavy blanket of sorrow, for the friends, and comrades we have lost." Murrue complied, as Samorei came in.

"And it is all the faults of the Earth Forces, Atlantic Federation." he told them.

Mu, Murrue, and Natarle all looked a bit hurt by that. Everything, the three once believed in, was burned away, along with the activation of that cyclops system. Including their loyalty. "Now, the main questions are, are your ready to fight them if need be?" he asked.

"Yeah, those damn bastards wont get away with this again." Mu told them, as he has witnessed such a thing twice.

"Oh Mu." Murrue said, as she put a hand near her face.

"However, this was a huge strategic advantage of the Earth Forces now. Over eighty percent of the ZAFT forces here on Earth." Uzumi contemplated. "However, these events are getting worst, Natural aggression towards the coordinators, are getting largely higher in intensity." he continued to explain. "Along with all of this, even now, all neutral nations on the Planet is being pressured to join the Earth Alliance." he said looking down. "With Orb as no exception." he added in, in a gruffer voice that his voice is already as. "Its something we wont do. You see, you are all Naturals, however there are a few that are coordinators in this room, and we accept them all on our soil." he continued. "Even my own daughter, Cagalli is one." he told them, as everyone were shocked with surprise of the information.

"Its true." Cagalli commented. With this, she got a surprise look even from Uzumi. "Dad don't give me that look." she said with a stern look in her eyes. "I know because it is the only explanation on WHY, I have yet to get sick with anything serious." she told him.

"Interesting, even the Sahaku's would be very impressed you figured such a thing out Cagalli." Samorei told her. "However, this does not help us. If the Earth Forces don't get Orb to Join them, they will attack us."

"Indeed, your are right Samorei." Uzumi told him. He then turned to Murrue. "You are all still young, you still have your own destinies threads to strung on the tapestries of fate." he told them. "It is still your choice of what to do with your life." he told them.

"And what do you plan to do?" Kira asked the Chief.

"I will say this, the swords Orb have, will no longer be used as decorations." he answered.

* * *

Panama, ZAFT Submarine fleet

Several ZAFT Vusgolov classed subs were just off the coastline of Panama, and the Panama Canal. Yzak Joule, sat within the cockpit of the Duel Gundam, "Come one, When are we attacking!" Yzak yelled, as everyone were getting, to get revenge for the trap they were lured to. '_Now is my true chance, to get revenge for what they have done to my brother.'_ He thought to himself.

"_All, pilots to their machines, the attack on Panama is about to begin!"_ The Pa system called, as other members of the ship, got to their GOOhNs, while others to DINN's and GINN's. The only G-Weapon left for them, was the Duel Gundam, Yzak was currently within. Yzak's machine began to move, as it was placed on the catapult, with an accompaning Guul. "_Yzak Joule, you are clear for launch._" the radio officer told him.

"Its about time." Yzak called out. "Duel, taking off." Yzak radioed, as the sub he was aboard, raised to the surface. With this, the Duel was shot straight up from the catapult, as it came to a landing on the Guul. GINN were doing the same, while on other ships, GOOhNs, ZnO's were fired like Torpedos, while DINN's launched in the vertical launchers into the air, as they took flight, towards their objective.

* * *

Panama Base

"What is it?" a soldier asked.

"Incoming Enemy Mobile suits!" another answered.

"Launch the defence squardrons, Counter with the Proteus Mobile Armors!" another called out.

* * *

As outside, hidden bases below, began to deploy the dinosaur like mobile armors as they roared and got ready for combat. While other soldiers, mounted their tanks, and their trucks equipped with Rocket Launchers. All the while, as they got ready to defend the place. As some of their troops, began to arrive for support with a new weapon.

* * *

Meanwhile, the battle had begun, as rockets explode within the air, some hitting their targets, while others being blown out of the sky. Yzak, on the other hand, was making a beline right towards the bases, with his Guul. Two DINN's formed on his wings, as the three Machines, opened fire, as Several GINNs joined in. Several Missile trucks, being blown away, by live ammo fire, from the GINNs machine guns, and shot guns of the DINNs, while CGUE's and the Duel fired their beam rifles.

"This is going to be ea. . ." one soldier began, but before he finished his sentence, his mobile suit, was blown out of existence by a stream of Plasma. Down below, many Proteus Mobile Armors, cover fired comrades of theirs that were heading to the ocean, to stop the enemy ships that were under the sea.

"Don't let them in the ocean!" Yzak yelled, as he altered course, and went for the beaches, where the Proteus Mobile armors were. Within moments, he was fired upon. However being a red Jacket, Yzak was no easy target, as the Duel moved in movements other pilots could hardly do. Upon going stationary once again, upon the Duels left shoulder, the missile pods bursted open, and with that, five missiles were fired, each one hitting the cockpit of the Mobile Armors, obliderating the occupants. However during this laps of stationary combat, a mobile armor fired its Plasma Cannon. Yzak saw this, and moved him self into position, and had the Guul take full forces of the attack. The Guul exploded in a cloud of smoke.

"Did I get him?" the pilot asked himself, and then he got his answer, a high velocity grenade was shot through the main torso of his mobile armor, cutting it in half. However, even though the machine was disabled, the pilot was done for, with the grenade that was in the ground, exploded, taking the cockpit, and pilot with it.

"Raynar . . .!!" another pilot yelled, only being silenced by a CGUE's heavy assault blade.

"Commander Joule, take Squadron Alpha into the enemy territory, we'll stop any more from going into the ocean." The CGUE pilot told Yzak, as he nodded, and with that ,the Duel went on the attack, heading into Panama, cutting down any enemy mobile armor in his way, along with firing his railgun, and beam rifle at the tanks, and missile trucks.

The Duel came out of the forest after it through a beam saber into the side of the head of a Mobile armor, and then retrieveing the handle before the machine detonated. "These armors are getting old." Yzak said, as he fired a emerald beam of death at an outpost obliderating it, and the occupants.

* * *

Meanwhile in Orb

Kisaka came into the meeting room, where the others were standing. "The Earth Alliance is under attack! ZAFT is attaking Panama now." he told them.

"What!?" Samorei asked. "Are they crazy, even with Mobile suits, the Earth Alliance is still nearly at full force, ZAFT is considerably out numbered." he told them, as then the other saw that Sam had a surprised look in his eyes. "Wait, will they do what they think their going to do?" he asked.

Murrue, and Uzumi looked at him oddly. "What do you mean, what do you think?" Murrue asked.

"If they are attacking the last Mass Driver now, then they are going to use the lance of Odin. The Gungnir" he told them.

* * *

Back in Panama, the ZAFT forces were gaining ground in the battle, with the Duel, and their commanders in the lead, with GINNs giving covering fire. As within the base, the head officials were getting worried. "Commander, ZAFT forces have broken the third line, they will be upon us, in moments!" an soldier called.

"Send out the tenth squardron of daggers. Have Jean Carrey lead" the commander told them.

"Yes sir." they called.

With this, on the battlefield, the soldiers continued fight each other, as the Earth Alliance, was about to relase their four of a kind of Aces. The first sign of them, was a beam rifle blast, hitting a GINN square in the head. "What in the world!" a GINN pilot yelled, as he looked at the oncoming enemy. And what he saw, gave him fear in his eyes. What he saw, was a scaled down version, of the Legendary Strike Gundam, that met its fateful end on the Marshall Islands. "What the, the Strike!" he called, as Yzak saw what he spoke of.

"That is not the strike you idiots!" Yzak told them, as he opened fire on the enemy machine. While above, falling object s began to descend on the area. Even though they looked like the Strike, the Daggers were a bit clumsy, obviously for their first experience in combat. "So they are becoming like, live stock to the slaughter house." Yzak told himself, as he aimed a beam rifle towards the enemy daggers. However he noticed something in time, as an emerald beam of death, ripped through the beam rifle, turning it into scrap metal. Yzak looked at the origin of the blast, and he saw it with fear on is face. To what he saw on top of the hill, was a copy of his GAT-X102 Duel. However this copy had looks the same, however its color scheme was not. Compared to the duel, the new opponent had all the blue on his machine, replaced with red. "The same machine?" Yzak asked himself.

Inside the machine, that is branded as the GAT-01D Long Dagger, which was nearly identical to the Duel Gundam, and with its foresta mode, which was a mimic of the Assault shroud as well. Inside the cockpit, wearing a white earth forces unfirom, was a blonde man, with glasses. It was Jean Carrey, a coordinator, or what people call, Glittering Star J. "One of the Earth forces stolen G-Weapon's." he told himself, as he fired another shot with the beam rifle. Yzak saw it coming, and dodged with ease from the attack, and began to run up the hill towards the copy.

"Your machine is nothing but a small comparrison to the original!" Yzak yelled, as Jean saw the machine coming and dodged the Shiva railgun attacks.

"Stop this attack." Jean called out, as he drew a beam saber, and with instinct, Yzak drew his own, as the two Duel machines began to have a duel with their energy sabers. Yellow of saber, clashed with a pinkish red one, with both pillars of flame being the only thing stopping the other one from slashing their machines to pieces. Meanwhile both Strike Daggers, and GINN's were being destroyed, along with CGUEs, however ZAFT with more advantage in experience, while the Daggers, have more firepower. However, the falling stars from the sky rained down, as large machines landing in locations all around Panama. Upon landing, several GINNs began their operations, with GINNs, DINNs, and CGUEs defending them, from both the Proteus Mobile Armors, and the new enemy machines.

However, Yzak and Jean, continued their duel of fire across the land scape. Each one of them, taking out other enemy machines that got to close to their one on one matchup. With this, only the Duel's Phase shift, gave it and advantage, and a weakness all the same. As with the phase shift, it was immune to the Long daggers rail gun and missiles. However do to having Phase Shift, the Long Dagger had a longer lifespan than the Duel does. The Beams clashed once again between the two machines, as they went into a heated struggle of raw strength. Yzak, oddly enough, was gaining more respect for the pilot as the only one that dueled like this with him, was Samorei.

"_Your heart is not in this battle is it?_" the voice of his opponent called through the radio to Yzak. "I can tell." Jean told himself, as with Yzak's moment of surprise, the beam saber Jean had locked, slid down the beam, and severed half of the hand of the Duel, leaving only a part of the palm of the Duel. "Kneil and I will spare you." Jean told him, as he held a saber ready to fall upon Yzak. Yzak admitted he was distracted.

"Your right, I am not fighitng with my all. But I wont go down here!" Yzak called, as Jean began to bring down his saber to decpatate the machines head, and removed the last weapons of the Duel. However Yzak was not giving up, as he slammed his shied with force onto the Long Dagger, causing it to lose balance. Yzak, then drew his second beam saber, and brought the beam saber down, decapitating the machine, and the arm that held the rifle and or the saber. "I will no go down without avengeing what they did to my brother!" Yzak yelled, as all of a sudden, the Gungnirs exploded, sending out a large wave of Electromagnetic energy covering a several mile radious, which in reality blanketed Panama completely. The Energy did more then one would of thought. The massive energy force deactivated all Earth Alliance Mobile suits, Mobile Armors, and conventional weaponry, along with whiping out the stronghold near by, and last but not least, ZAFTs main target, the Mass Drive, which quite literally tore itself apart.

"What? My machine! Its not working!" Jean called out, as he tried to get his machine back up. With that, he realized what that massive energy was, and his mobile suit was effected. "Damn, that was an electromagnetic pulse." he told himself.

He looked up, as the Duel had discarded its shield to only now hold its saber coming towards the Long Dagger. Yzak inside the Duel, was getting radio chatter, from other pilots. As Earth Alliance Soldiers were surrendering, as their machines were no longer active. "_This is for what you did to my friends in Alaska!". "How is your pure and blue world now?" _Many words were exchanged for what had happened to their friends, family, and comrades who died in Alaska.

Jean looked at the duel within his machine. "Well what are you waiting for Duel pilot? Aren't you going to kill me?" Jean asked Yzak.

"No, there is nothing right, about killing people who cannot fight back. If I do, I am no better then the damn bastards that did those things to my brother." Yzak told himself, as he had the Duel sheath the beam saber. "Go, before one of the others find you." Yzak told him, as the Duel picked up the beam rifle, the Long Dagger had, and placing it, in its docking area, on the mobile suit. As it was in place, the Duel picked up its anti beam shield, and began to head back towards the ZAFT submarine fleet. "What is the point, in killing those who cannot fight back?" he asked no one in particular, but who he really though of when he said it, was the pilot of the Jade Frame.

Which as he thought of it, to Yzak. In Orb, Samorei Joule looked upon the upgraded Jade Frame. "Vampire, or as your number says of you, Nosforatu."

* * *

A/N: I am sorry for taking so long to update, but I have had work, and writers block for the last while, along with getting Xenosaga Ep III and beating it, and now of getting Final Fantasy XII. And even starting another fic, for Yugioh GX. Things have become hectic. Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. 


	27. Chapter 27: Prelude to battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed, or its characters, I only own Samorei, his clones, Samorei's team of Extendeds, and Rosa Menyar for people. I also only own the Jade Frame, and its alterations. Also, I will be placing the Nosferatu's Specs at the end of this chapter.

Chapter 28: Prelude to battle

* * *

On the Archangel:

It has been a while, since they heard of the ZAFT slaughter of the Earth Forces at Alaska. Kira and Mu were shocked to see Cagalli all of a sudden. "What is it Cagalli?" Kira asked.

Cagalli just shrugged. "I don't know, except that Erica, Mina, and Samorei want to meet with you." She told him, as Kira and Mu just looked at each other. A while later, the three of them arrived at Morgenrete along with Murrue, to find Samorei and Erica waiting for them. Mu took notice, that his Mobius Zero was also there, and it looked different, almost transformable. They were currently in the mobile suit facility they have gotten to know well, as the looked in another direction, to see the Nosferatu and a Black M1 Astray, with a shield, that looked to be made of pure gold.

"You all have been busy, since we got back." Mu commented, as he saw the machines.

"This is not even the gist of it Mu." Samorei told him, as he stepped over to side nodding to Erica, as he hit in a code on the control panel.

"Now that you're back," Erica said with a mysterious smile, "I thought I should probably return _this_ to you."

Kira gasped audibly, for before them stood the GAT-X105 Strike, the mobile suit he had previously flown... and believed to have been destroyed when Athrun self-destructed the Aegis. "The Strike!"

"And that is not all." Samorei said with a smirk. "This Machine, is now not only Kira pilotable anymore." Sam told them, as they looked at him in a strange way. "And yet, Kira helped us do so, even though he doesn't know it yet." he continued, as he walked over to the foot of the machine. "Because now, even a Natural like Captain Murrue, and Commander La Flaga could pilot the beast, with the proper training." Sam told them all.

"Wait, your saying you placed a Natural OS in the machine?" Mu asked, with his right hand, scrunching some skin just above the bridge of his nose. "Well, if your looking for a pilot, you found one." He told them, as Sam and Mina just smiled at the thought, as did Kira, however a shocked look came over Murrue.

"Are you sure?" she asked him, as he looked at her.

"Yeah, and besides, everyone has been saying a Mobile suit is better then a mobile armor." he said with a smirk.

Mina nodded. "That is quite correct La Flaga. That is why, when Samorei went with you before he was taken out we worked on some altercations." She told him, as Murrue looked at Sam, as all he did was nod.

"Oh, what is it?" the Hawk asked, with a very curious look.

"You took notice of it, when you came in." Samorei told him with a smirk. "Your Mobius Zero, is a Mobile Armor no more, its now a Striker Pack."

"Nice." Mu replied. "I've been missing the old Mobius, and now I can use it on a mobile suit." he complied, as he looked at the Strike. "So, when does my training begin?" he asked.

"Right away if you wish." Sam told him.

"And, you have a choice in opponent. Artificial intelligent bots, Sam and his Machine, or Kira and his Machine."

* * *

A while later, looking through an observational window, they watched, the Strike get ready, for a friendly duel with beam sabers. While on the other side, Sam placed an arm around Mina's waist.

* * *

Earth Alliance Base Washington DC:

"Those coordinators, recent attack on Panama is despicable, this war is getting completely out of hand." One member, of the meeting called, as several officals sat around a table. And by the door, was a white haired individual only known as Banken Michaelski. "With our last Mass Driver destroyed, we have to reclaim the one in Victoria" he continued.

"Even with the new daggers, we should be making sure we keep them, rather then having them be destroyed, like in Panama." Another protested, as then, a blonde man, slammed his hand down.

"Listen, why are we so worked up about the coordinators?" The man said.

"Director Azrael!" some said in shock.

"Why should we be so concerned about this. We are getting allies more and more, from the nations of Earth." He said with a smirk.

"Yeah, all except the nation of Orb." another mentioned.

"I see, that is where the Problem is." Azrael said, tapping his finger on the top of his head. "They are part of this Earth right?" he asked the council of high members of the Earth Alliance. "If they are, shouldn't they be a part of the Earth Alliance?" he asked again.

"They should be director, however, the head representative of theirs, has a high belief of being a neutral party in this war." he told them.

"Well, then leave it to me, and the Atlantic Federations Naval fleet. We'll get your Mass Driver, if you are willing to cooperate." Azrael continued to tell them, as he then got a smirk on his face. "And if I can guess on Uzumi's reaction, we may be able to test our new toys." he told them. "And victory will be in our hands, as a Orb partial ally, will be severely weakening our allies from within." he told them.

* * *

Marshall Island Airspace:

The ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam, flew over the final confrontation area, of his Aegis mobile suit, as he could see scattered pieces along the ground. The Blue haired pilot, Athrun looked down below, as he then had the Justice head towards the ground, so he can pay his last respects, of the machine he once flew. Within moments, he used the zipline to lower himself onto the ground below, allowing him to walk across the sandy beach. He watched the Aegis in its new home, as a monument of what war was. That was when something caught the young mans eyes, as he saw the heads of children duck behind the severed hand of the Aegis.

That was also when he heard a different voice. "The. . . the Angel of fire." a females voice said, as Athrun turned to see a long haired brunette holding a basket of flowers, as it dropped to the sand, as she looked in aww at the Justice.

"Mommy!" the children called, as they got behind her. "This man, came from that machine!" a child cried, scared of the machine that was still whole.

"Its ok." The woman said, as she looked at Athrun. "So, who is the guest to our island? The same person that caused such a ruckus on this island a few months ago?" she asked Athrun.

"Athrun, Athrun Zala, and you are?" he asked.

"The daughter." a males voice said, as Athrun then saw Malchio. "The daughter of Destiny and fate." he added in. Athrun looked on in confusion. "Please, come with us to our home." he told the newcomer, in which they all did, heading towards the house.

* * *

Archangel Hangar

The ships hangar had the entire crew within it, standing in a small group of people, do to the small amount of people required to be able to run such a ship. Before the assembled ranks stood Murrue, Mu, Natarle, Ledonir Kisaka, Cagalli, Rondo Mina Sahaku and Samorei Joule; an assembly that underscored to the crew the significance of this meeting, each wearing Orb uniforms.

"By now, you're all familiar with the situation," Murrue began. "The Earth Forces -specifically, the Atlantic Federation- have issued an ultimatum to Orb. If Orb does not dismiss Representative Athha, dissolve its current government, disarm its military, and join the Earth Alliance, the nation will be deemed a supporter of ZAFT... and the Atlantic Federation's Fourth Naval Fleet will commence offensive operations."An almost inaudible sigh ran through the massive compartment. The news was no surprise, but anticipation had not robbed the confirmation of its power. They had expected, long since, that they would become embroiled in combat once again; now they knew for certain.

"As you may expect," she continued, "Orb has no intention of complying with these demands. Negotiations are, of course, still in progress... but I must tell you that no one expects them to succeed." She swept her gaze over them all, in the process making brief eye contact with Kira, who smiled reassuringly; apparently, _his_ mind was made up. "Now then, you all know what it was that brought _us_ here, to Orb; you know how the Alliance betrayed us. Therefore, you must all make a personal decision yourselves: whether to remain with the _Archangel_ and fight by joining Orb and its military, or leave the ship, and sit out the war." She paused. "I want you all to know that, whatever your decision, I'm proud of you all; and you've all more than earned the right to leave this war behind."The assembled crew looked at each other, and some -such as Kuzzey Buskirk- began to think on those words... yet most felt a new determination, instead.

"Those of you who wish to leave," Murrue went on, "will be evacuated, along with most of Orb's civilian population, to the space station Ame-no-Mihashira. There, you should be safe from the Alliance; the station's defenses are strong enough, and the station itself of little enough military significance, that the Earth Forces are unlikely to attack."

Mina step forward now. "What she speak is the truth, Ame-No-Mihashira has been re equipped, with the same shield technology that the Eurasian fortress Artemis." she told them. "You have my word, if you go there, you will be safe, from the Earth Alliance."

Murrue swept her gaze over the hangar once again. "I know I wasn't the best Captain you could've had," she said quietly, "but you are without doubt the best crew anyone could've hoped to have. It's been an honor to have led you." and with that, she did one final salute to her crew.

* * *

Archangel Corridors

The _Archangel_'s crew had now had a full day to consider the choice before them, of whether or not to stay and fight. Most had, in the end, chosen to complete the transition into the appropriate ORB military uniforms, but eleven had chosen to leave... including Kuzzey Buskirk. "So you're really leaving, huh?" Sai said quietly.

"Yeah..." Kuzzey said with a slow nod; for the first time in months, he wore civilian clothing, and carried a small case with the few personal belongings he'd had aboard the ship. "What about you? Aren't you leaving, too?"

Sai shook his head. "No, actually, I'm not; neither is Miriallia. It's... it's hard to explain, but... we have chosen for what we are going to do." he condoned. "I think its the best thing for us to do. This time, we are in the military with our own home, we actually get to defend our own soil now." he told him.

"Yeah. Also, did you hear of Tolle?" Kuzzey asked.

"Yeah, Mir is off visiting him right now. Likley giving him a piece of her mind." Sai said with a low laugh.

Kuzzey looked away a bit. "I heard he was already part of the Orb forces, before we arrived." Kuzzey told him.

"Yeah. . . He has been stationed on the Sahaku ship the Izumo." Sai told him. "He'll be on the ship your will be on, heading to Ame." Sai explained.

"Yeah, I guess your right, or maybe I should stay as well." Kuzzey told him, starting to reconsider his decision.

Sai gripped his shoulder. "No, Kuzzey; you'd only regret it later. Look, some of us are suited to this kind of work, some of us aren't. I've learned to accept the battles, to face the danger and do my job... but not everyone can do that. Your place is somewhere else, Kuzzey; find it for yourself." he told his friend.

* * *

Even though, Orb was getting ready for battle, the 4th advance fleet of the Earth Forces, was heading right for them, along with the S. Martin which was at the command of Banken, one that hasn't been heard from, since the final battle of the original Jade Frame. While at the Sahaku mansion, Samorei Joule walked into the mansions bathroom with a towel in hand. He placed it on the railing of the bath towels, as he climbed into the hot tub, planning for a nice soak, as he thought of the battle ahead. It was to be chaotic, and he had his own platoon to look after, using the new support units, that have been designed with specs of the Buster Gundam.

* * *

However, within the archangel, still hearing Captain Ramius' speech within their heads, Kira moved through the side passages of the Archangel's cooridors, that he used, when he first faught in this war, against his own people. He wore an Orb military uniform, of an Lieutenant Commander, like Mu La Flaga. Primary of his good relations with both military families of Orb's Nobility. "Kira!" He turned to see Cagalli running to catch up with him, coming to halt a half-meter away. "Kira," she said in a slightly calmer voice, "it's... it's all so..."

"Just take a deep breath and relax," Kira advised her with a smile. "If people see you getting flustered in that outfit, it's gonna make them nervous."

Anyone else, she would probably have snapped at for a comment like that, but from him Cagalli took it seriously; she checked her uniform as if she had forgotten she was wearing one. "You think so? I guess you're right. But this is terrible! Orb is going to become a battlefield! How could this happen?" She began running her hands through her hair in agitation.

"I think the right choice is being made," Kira said reassuringly. When she looked up, he continued, "Although I think this path is the hardest Orb could have chosen."

"Kira..."

"Calm down and don't worry, Cagalli. I don't know how well I can protect it, but I'll do what I can; just like your father and a lot of other people are gonna do _their_ best to protect this country." He smiled again. "It's worth fighting for."

"Kira!" Cagalli flung her arms around Kira's neck, hugging him tight.

He looked startled for a moment. "Uh, well, just hang in there, okay?" he managed, returning the embrace.

* * *

Marshall Islands, Orphanage:

It is inevitable now," Malchio said a few minutes later; the television was playing a news report, from a correspondent on one of the Earth Forces' carriers. "Orb is going to fight the Earth Alliance."

"As the countdown to the attack on Orb continues," the reporter was saying, "the troops are willing, even eager for the coming battle. We're now being told that there is proof that Orb assisted ZAFT in the attacks on Panama and the Alaskan Headquarters."

"Such proof does not exist besides from the words of their mouths." Rosa told them, standing behind Malchio, as beside the chair Athrun stood, as he looked at Rosa with curiosity. She called the Justice, the angel of fire, which to him, was beyond weird, refering to a mobile suit, as an angel. "Neither military has any right, to be justiefied, for what they have done to the civilians." She pointed out.

""But why Orb and the Earth Forces?" Athrun mused, then looked down as one of the orphans ran up to him.

"I hate ZAFT, and when I get bigger I'm gonna come and get all of you!" The kid, less than half Athrun's size, kicked him in the shin.

"Jefrey, that is no way to treat a guest." Rosa said, "Even if he is of one of the military powers." she added in.

"But Mommy!" the child pleaded.

Athrun looked at Rosa one more time. "Why do these children refer to you as their mother?" He asked her.

Malchio answered that for her however. "She is the closest thing, they have to a mother anymore." he told him. "My apologies," he said to Athrun. "He lost his parents during the occupation of Carpentaria."

"Occupation?" Athrun said shocked. "But Oceania, joined ZAFT in the beginning." Athrun quietly protested to him.

"What decision is ever truly unanimous?" Rosa asked him.

"If there was but another way. Wars spread so easily, but are so difficult to end," Malchio whispered.

"I see." Athrun slowly said.

Rosa turned to Athrun. "The attack begins tomorrow." She told him, in a whisper. "Go and protect the angel of light, protect, the one you once called a best friend." She told him, walking to a different room, leaving Athrun looking at where she went.

Athrun then turned to Malchio. "Just who is she really?" he asked.

Malchio just smiled a bit. "A child, who is known, as the child of Destiny and Fate." he told him.

* * *

At that time, Mir was entering Dearka's cell. "Questioning, or transfer?" the POW asked warily.

"The ship is entering battle again," Mir told him. "An Earth Alliance fleet is on its way here. Apparently, you're free to go." She tossed his flight suit in his lap and left the cell.

Dearka followed her out. "Wait a minute! What did you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I told you," she responded, opening the brig hatch and walking out into the corridor. "The Earth Forces will be attacking soon, and there isn't a good reason to keep you onboard anymore. So _get off."_

"But I want to know why you people decided to fight against the Earth Forces."

"Because Orb refused to join forces with the Earth Alliance."

Dearka stopped in his tracks. "But that's just nuts. Are Naturals really that stupid?"

"Who cares what you think?" Mir said angrily. "Things are gonna get chaotic around here; I'm sorry, but you're on your own."

"Easy for _you_ to say," the pilot muttered. "Hey!" he said suddenly. "What about my Buster?"

"That was ours to begin with! Morgenroete has it now." She couldn't help, however, but to take a certain amount of pity on him. "I'm sorry things turned out... this way."

Dearka caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "Are... are you fighting, too?"

"I'd better be!" Mir replied hotly. "I'm in charge of the _Archangel_'s CIC. Besides," she added in a calmer voice, "Orb is my homeland."

Dearka was in shock, as he put the words together.

* * *

At Orbs Attha Household:

Ahmed walked down the hall as he now a soldier knew a battle was comming. He himself, was assigned to the squads commanded by Samorei, which was fine for him, as long as he could protect. So he could protect the one he cares for, and her home. He stopped at a corner, as he saw Cagalli standing there, talking to another soldier.

"I swear, on my fathers grave, I will protect her." he said, not noticing the item Cagalli wore, the Pendant he gave her, as he went back the other way.

* * *

On the _Archangel_'s Bridge, Murrue Ramius leaned against the forward viewport, looking absently out at the activity below. _We've come so far,_ she mused. _To think, when all this started, I was just a lieutenant on a ship that hadn't even launched yet. Now I'm the _Captain,_ and the ship isn't even with the Earth Forces anymore; yet so many of the crew stayed, anyway._

"You know," Mu La Flaga said, coming up behind her, "the Captain really shouldn't look _that_ depressed. All told, only eleven crew left the ship; that's incredible. JOSHUA must have really riled them up."

Ramius nodded absently. "Commander," she said slowly, "there's something I want to know about JOSHUA. Why'd you return?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." La Flaga looked at the deck for a moment, then winked. "Your question just made me remember what I'd forgotten to do."

To her surprise, the Strike's pilot suddenly pulled her close and kissed her. She blinked, then relaxed into it; a few moments later, she pulled away. "You... ought to know I really can't stand mobile armor pilots," Ramius said, voice a little rough.

La Flaga smiled. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm a mobile _suit_ pilot now." He leaned forward again.

A moment later, the Bridge hatch opened, and Neumann entered, flanked by Chandra and Tonomura. "Excuse me, is anyone up h-" He broke off, and three jaws dropped in shock.

* * *

After this, the next day had come, as on the S. Martin, Banken and his small group looked out, as their ship along with the 4th Fleet of the Earth Forces, got ready for combat. In the hangar, were a group of mobile suits within. Four to be exact, One looked like a cross between the Aegis Gundam, and what seemed to be a backpack unit, like the one of the Justice, however having four pods on it, like the Zero equipment. Behind it , was another moible suit, another Gundam. This other machine, had a blue and white color scheme, with a shield mounted on its left arm, and a large rifle in its right.

Behind these two machines, were a pair of Long Daggers, complete with their Foresta Armor, mimicing that of the Duel Gundam with its assault shroud. "Get our forces ready. The battle will start soon." he told someone near by as he went over to a Black and white mobile suit, that resembled a cross between the Aegis, and the Justice. "Are you ready Voyager?" he asked the machine, rising towards the cockpit.

* * *

As at Orb with its position of neutrality was shattered by the Earth Alliance's attack. What made matters worse for them any other nation, of course, was the fact that they weren't allied with the _PLANTs,_ either. Orb stood alone.

Yet, for all their small size and lack of allies, the Orb military had quite possibly more firepower than both sides combined. In addition to their conventional forces, they had a number of their mass-produced M1 Astrays, which would soon prove to be more than a match for the mass-produced weapons of either side, Accompanied, with another Orb machine designed by the Sahaku's, were a sister unit to the M1's being the M1B's, a cross between the M1 Astrays, and the Buster Gundam, while as well, a Black M1, being piloted by Rondo Mina Sahaku, while her brother is having Orb Civilians retreat to Ame-No-Mihashira with an armed Escort of the Izumo, and Several Mobile suits, belonging to the faction of the Sahaku's. And besides, these units, Orb had the Strike, Freedom, Nosferatu, and even the Buster on reserve.

Pilots suit up, all over the place, Both Mina and Samorei suited up with their own versions of Uniforms, given to them by the Archangel Crew. Meanwhile, each of the clones of Samorei suited up in black and gray flight suits, with an emblem of Orb on their left shoulders. "Time for the Knights, to take up their swords for their kings, and queens." Azure Notioned, as the others nodded, knowing what he was getting at.

"Listen guys." Saxen began. "This could be the end for any of us, and I'd like to say." he stuttered as they looked at him. "It has been great being your guy's brother." He told them.

"Ha, I never thought of it that way." Saxton began. "But you know what we are?" he asked, as the others shook their heads, placing their hair, if long enough into their helmets. "But we are Brothers in arms." he told them.

"The Dream team." Saxen said with a smirk. With that, Savir placed a fist in the middle of them.

"Lets do it, Dream team!" he called.

"Dream Team!" the rest said, placing their fists in between each other.

Ahmed not far from them, as he kept on thinking of one thing. '_Protect, Protect, Protect' _Was all he could think of, for the battle to come.

* * *

Mina and Samorei sat at the feet of the Nosferatu, still with its soul as the jade Frame. "So its time." Mina said as she looked at her machine. "The first battle, that Orb is to become a battlefield." she commented turning to Samorei.

"This is the time I can show how much of the Earth Forces way of thinking can get them in trouble." Sam told them, flexing one hand, within its glove. "Their white Devil is coming back to them, as a Demon to them." he added in.

"You are no Demon Samorei." Mina told him. "You are someone who has a purpose in life, than just killing. You can show them that the Demon has died." she continued.

Samorei smiled thinking of her kind words as he placed a hand on the Nosferatu. "You do know Mina, that I don't like the notion of you yourself are going into battle." he told her.

She shook her head. "Orb is our family, and you know, that family is something you don't just throw away." she commented. "A Nation doesn't belong to its rulers, it belongs to its people, and that, and I hate to see it, the Athha's as well as that of myself see the nation as. A place ruled by its people, and not just one being, like my brother tends to think." she continued.

"Well, the battle is to begin soon." he told her. "We should suit up." he added in as she nodded, then turning. However, to her surprise, Samorei grabbed her shoulder. "One more thing." He said, twirling her around, and kissing her one more time.

As they broke the kiss, Mina nodded. "Lets come back together you got that?" She asked, as he nodded, and with that, the two split up, going for the cockpits of their respective suits.

* * *

Outside, the battle had just about to begin. The first line of defense was, instead, the numerous Astrays Orb had built, and Kira Yamato had programmed; in the lead were the three test pilots: Asagi Caldwell, Juri Wu Nien, and Mayura Labatt. They may have been new to the real life combat situation with their machines. But so were the Earth Forces Mobile suits, that have yet to be launched. With this, the Earth Forces, launched their rush jobbed Strike Daggers into the battle. As well as parachute drop as well, from overhead transport planes coming towards a flanked side of Orb, do to its Island in nature.

So the land battle was first left to the M1s; at the same time, Orb's Aegis ships set sail, followed closely by the _Archangel_. Here the experience was about even for both sides... but once again, Orb's technology, with the help of a former Earth Alliance ship who's fire power outmatched all machines in the area.

To this point, the Earth Forces' only advantage was in pure numbers.

* * *

"It's time," Muruta Azrael, who had come in person aboard a _Powell_-class carrier, ordered; and the missiles began to take flight.

Immediately, the Orb forces began shooting them down; Aegis ships were designed for that sort of work, and the _Archangel_'s weapons worked admirably in that regard, as well. And with the M1's doing some as well they were destroying several of the Missiles.

"Target the ship's Gottfrieds," Ramius ordered from _Archangel_'s Bridge. "Fire!"

The enormous anti-ship cannons blasted many a missile out of the sky with a single shot, and the Igelstellungs added their computer-directed firepower to the melee. With only miminal numbers being lost on Orbs side, do to rookie mistakes.

That was when the fun began, The Tarawa Class carriers, modified flanks to deploy the Daggers. This did not go unnoticed. "Juri!" Mayura warned. "The Earth Forces are deploying their mobile suits!"

In the Operations Room, Cagalli was receiving similar reports. "Enemy mobile suits have landed on the Izanagi shoreline!"

"Dispatch the 8th Armored Battalion to hold them off," she ordered.

"Large carriers detected above Onogoro Island."

"What?" Cagalli looked down at the display. "All right. Signal the _Archangel_ to deploy mobile suits immediately. Order Samorei's 9th Batallion to get ready to be fielded!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Signal from HQ," Mir reported; with Kuzzey gone, she'd taken over the communications station, with Sai at fire control and Romero Pal now down in CIC. "We're to launch mobile suits at once."

"Very well." Ramius punched up her intercom. "Hanger, prepare mobile suits for launch."

* * *

While in a secret hangar in the moutainside of Morgenrete, Samorei's own squad began to power up. With the Nosferatu in the lead, along with six M1 Astrays behind it, one inclueding Mina's Custom, while behind them, fifteen of the new modeled modified M1 type were behind them.

"Cagalli." Mina called, with her intercom.

"_What is it Mina?_" Cagalli asked her.

"Patch me in with the other troops." she told her.

"_What why?_" she asked.

Mina just smirked. "Trust me on this." Mina told her. With that Cagalli just nodded.

* * *

Meanwhile with that conversation, the Archangel began to launch its aces. Kira was the first into the catapults. "Kira Yamato; Freedom, let's do it!" The linear accelerator spat the Freedom Gundam out the port flight deck, and the starboard warmed up.

_"Strike, go ahead!"_ Mir said from the Bridge.

La Flaga sealed his visor, feeling downright eager to go into battle. For the first time, he could actually _do_ something significant against mobile suits. With that, the Aile Striker equipment was placed on the mobile suit. "Mu La Flaga, launching in Strike!" he called out.

* * *

With this, Mina's voice was present on all lines of Earth Forces Mobile Weapon troops. "I am glad, to see all of you here on such a historical day for Orb." She began, and took a deep breath. "Today, is the day, that you all will become Legends. Legends who will show how strong our nation truly is. When both Natural and Coordinator team up, and take up their arms side by side. We will show how Racism has Faltered the true strength of the Human race!" she continued to call out. "We will show them, that the machine that will litter our waters will be theirs, and not ours. Today we don't just fight for ourselves, we fight for our families, and our friends, We will Show them Orb is no pushover." she called out. "Now join me my people, No not my people, Join me my Family of Orb, JOIN THE ORB FAMILY AND PROTECT your family!" Her voice called out, as Samorei nodded in his Machine.

"Mobile suit Squad!" He called, as the mountain began to open. "Time to do what Mina said." he said.

"FOR ORB!" everyone in his squad called out, as many other soldiers said it in unison as well.

"Samorei Joule, Jade Vampire! Taking off!" He called, as the thrusters of his entire squad fired up, as they took off into the air, to fight the largest battle of their lives.

* * *

A/N: Another chapter done, but a battle is about to begin. Orb Vs the Earth Forces.

Now as promised, I'd place the Nosferatu's battle data on here. Along with the new mobile suits, of the Orb forces, under Samorei's direct command. Oh, and the two Gundams found on Banken's ship. P.S. The Wing Gundam you see on here, is the same Wing Gundam from Gundam Wing. However, it is fitted as an Earth Forces machine, so it doesn't have its Nuclear Engine. Also as I am saying this, It is NOT Mine, however the altercations required for a Cosmic Era Machine, are what I have done.

Model number: MBF-P04/ N4A2

Code name: Astray Jade Frame V

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Color: Normal: dark grey

Phase Shift:Jade, and Black, white joints

Manufacturer: Morgenrete Inc

Operator: Three Ship Alliance, Terminal

First deployment: June 15th C.E. 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.13 Meters

Weight:81.23 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:2x Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Phase Shift Armor, Sensorshardpoints in hands for Orb, ZAFT and Earth Forces weaponry

Fixed armaments:2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head, "Maga-no-Ikutachi", mounted on right forearm, 2 x "Magashira-no-Hoko" spears, mounted on back, Connected to wrist via cable, 2x "Halos" Beam Sabres located in shoulders, Type 70-31 electromagnetic cannon x2, Type-73F Kai high energy beamguns x2 (Located on hips)

Optional hand armaments: 80mm Beam Rifle

**Model number:** MBF-M1B  
**Code name:** M1B Astray  
**Unit type: **mass production general purpose mobile suit  
**Manufacturer:** Morgenroete, Inc  
**Operator:** Orb Union/ Sahaku Faction/ Three Ships Alliance  
**First deployment:** June 15th C.E. 71  
**Accommodation:** pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso  
**Dimensions:** head height 17.93 meters  
**Weight:** max gross weight 79.50 metric tons  
**Construction:** unknown  
**Powerplant:** ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown  
**Equipment and design features:** sensors, range unknown  
**Fixed armaments:** 2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x Type 70 beam saber, mounted behind left shoulder, hand-carried in use, 350mm gun launcher, mounted behind right arm, can be combined with 82mm high-energy rifle, hand-carried in use; 94mm high-energy rifle, mounted behind left arm, can be combined with 310mm gun launcher, hand-carried in use.  
**Optional hand armaments:** 1x Anti Beam Shield, mounted on right forearm, 1x Type 71 Beam Rifle on right hip.

Bankens Ship

Model number: GAT-X345

Code name: Wing Gundam

Unit type: Transformable High Maneuver Mobile suit

Color: Normal: Dull gray

Phase Shift: White, Red, Gold, Blue, navy blue

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Azrael Conglomerate

Operator: Earth Alliance

First deployment: CE 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:16.71 meters

Weight:41.19 Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant: Ultra compact, high energy battery

Equipment and design: Trans Phase(TP) Armor, Sensors,

Fixed armaments: Mobile Suit & Armor: 1x Buster Rifle, mounted in right hand in mobile suit, mounted under nose, of mobile armor's plane mode, 1x Anti Beam Shield Mounted over cockpit in mobile armor mode

Mobile Suit only: 2x ES01 beam saber

Mobile Armor Only: 2 x M2M3 76mm machine gun, mounted under the wings

Optional hand armaments:

Model number: GAT-X400

Code name: Voyager

Unit type: Prototype Transformable mobile suit

Resembles: The GAT-X303 Aegis, Justice, and Gunbarrel Dagger

Color: Normal: White, and Black

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance Atlantic Federation

Operator: Unknown

First deployment: June 15th CE 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.86. Meters

Weight:91.52 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Trans Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, Experimental Subflight lifter, Mirage Colloid, "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor

Fixed armaments: 2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 4 x beam saber, 1 mounted on each arm and leg; shield, mounted on left arm; 60mm beam rifle, power rating unknown, stored on right hip, hand-carried in use; "Scylla" 580mm energy cannon, power rating unknown, operable only in mobile armor attack mode

Remote Weapons: Experimental Subflight Lifter:

(2 x M9M9 "Kero" turret machine gun; 2 x MA-4B "Oda" beam cannon, 4x various Missile Launcher, 4x Wired Gunbarrels)

Wired Gunbarrels (1x Beam gun, 8 x M70AMSAT missile)x4

Optional hand armaments: None

Pilot: Banken

Description, at first glance, looks like the Aegis, with a large backpack on its back. It's color scheme, is black and white, matching some of the pattern, of the 105 dagger. Upon its backpack, is 4 Gunbarrel's, and various weapons. It has a Mobile Armor mode, where to make it happen, the back pack is detached, as the machine transforms, then attaches again, on the rear end of the Mobile Armor. Making this machine, resemble that of a Exass Mobile Armor.


	28. Chapter 28: A Dyed Nation

Chapter 28: A Dyed Nation

* * *

_Orb's Neutrality has become invalid by the people who made me of what I am. This war has put many hardships on me and my friends, and this is what we now know as the Climax of this war, and now my friends are about to feel what I have felt all this war. It is now time that we fight our old allies once again, but this time, we fight for a common goal, to protect the soil that we live on._

_This soil has provided me a place to live, and the home of the one my heart will have me protect, until my life is no more. And she said before this is about to begin, Orb is nothing but a family, and one Promise I made long ago when I put a ZAFT uniform on, is that I will protect my family. And one thing that people know of me._

_Is that, Samorei Ander Joule Does not! Break a promise, and that is one thing, that I definitely Promise._

* * *

"Ander!" an Astray pilot yelled, as a beam of emerald energy shot through his friends M1's cockpit. "Bastards!" he called, as he fired a beam of his own destroying the dagger that shot his friend. Another dagger came in on him as he blocked with his shield, but he became outnumbered fast, as three more daggers came in, each one pierceing his armor with their beam sabers destroying him, and his Machine.

That was when the Daggers were all destroyed by a hail storm of bullets, do to the sudden attack of a M1B's combined weapons that resembled that of the GAT- X103 350 mm Anti Armor Shotgun, however just slightly smaller, but just as deadly to light armored Mobile suits, that the daggers were. One Dagger did not like the Display, but did not get a shot off that it intended to do as its arm that held the Rifle was shot off by another Beam Rifle. The origin was the ZGMF-X10A Freedom which pierced through the skys.

Within the cockpit Kira Yamato showed off his skill, as the Freedom placed its Beam Rifle away, and drew a blade of frozen fire from its hold and flew towards a group of daggers, decapitating any mobile suit in his way, or literally Disarming a mobile suit.

* * *

Samorei was a bit the same, however he was not holding back, and not using Disabling attacks, the Nosferatu took off into the air, targeting incoming transport planes with extra daggers to drop on the party. But Sam showed that he doesn't like what they planned, as from the Jade Frames old Raikou pack, two cannon like weapons locked into position. Two purple orbs began to glow, as Electro Magnetic energy began to unleash what power they can hold. The Planes did not know what to do, as two large columns of purple and white Energy came at them. As soon as the beams hit, the Planes, and Mobile suits inside began to be ripped apart from the inside out, with the Planes igniting from explosions within. "Whoa, so that is what that thing is like." Mina said looking into the sky to see what Sam did, as the energy dissipated, and the cannons went back to their standby position.

* * *

Mina then went back to what she was doing, as her Black M1 opened fire on a Dagger. However she was outnumbered three to one. "Not today!" Came a group of voices, as a barrage of energy fire fired over head, as Mina's body guards did their thing, as they destroyed the ones attempting to target her. However, they did not stay long, as the six machines split up, to help out other comrades.

* * *

Ahmed stood in place, as he opened fire with both of his artillery weapons at oncoming Daggers. He knew his Reckless acts were not going to help him in a large scale battle like this, like it did help him a bit in the skirmishes his people had with the Desert Tiger. When he took out his targets, he combined his weapons in the same fashion as the buster to form the Hyper Impulse Sniper Rifle, and targeted one of the Earth Forces Ships, and opened fire on the ship, causing a large hole into the ship. However, he did not realize a beam rifle shooting at him. It came closer but never hit him, but instead a flying Golden shield. Then the dagger was blown out of the way from Mina's Black M1, which flew buy catching her Shield once more. But before anything, she aimed it towards another Dagger, which made something happen. The shield shimmered in its color as an Emerald Beam fired from the rifle, but no weapon was shown from the shield. However do to the surprise tactic, the Dagger's cockpit was pierced. "Thanks Lady Sahaku" Ahmed told her. 

"Don't forget Ahmed. Every Enemy will not hesitate to kill you, even with shooting you in the back." She told him, as her Astray took off once again.

* * *

On the S. Martin:

Banken placed his helmet on his head, as a male teen placed his own helmet on, which was tinted from the outside. "Its almost time." Banken told himself, as he began to activate his mobile suit. "Hey kid are you ready?" he asked the image on his screen. The other side just nodded. "Good, now Socius' are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes sir." they both said in unision.

"Good, now Banken team, lets show Orb what we can do." Banken told them as he smirked. "All the while, I go after Kira and Samorei. Both will pay for defeating me." he added in as the sides of his ship opened up. With that, his Black and white Mobile suit stepped onto the lowered part. The Machine looked like a black version of the Aegis with a Subflight pack that resembled that of the Justice Gundam. The Machine jumped into the air, as the subflight lifter detached from the main body, and the body transformed into the same mobile armor mode of the Aegis, and then the lifter attached itself back onto the mobile suit. Behind it, the White Red and Blue transformed into a Plane and both Machines take off towards the shore. Meanwhile the ships began deploying their under water mobile weapons, the Proteus Mobile Armors.

* * *

On the lead Earth Forces carrier, three special pilots were getting ready for launch, imbibing a special drug and climbing into their new, untested mobile suits. Reckless bookworm Orga Sabnak in the GAT-X131 Calamity, antisocial music-lover Shani Andras piloting X252 Forbidden, and hotheaded video game-player Clotho Buer flying X370 Raider.

_"Say, boys..."_ Azrael began as they readied for launch.

"What?" Orga demanded.

"Huh?" Shani grunted.

"Yeah," Clotho said warily.

_"It's extremely important that you _not_ damage Morgenroete _or_ the mass driver,"_ their boss told them._ "Do you understand?"_

"But we can do anything _else_ we want to, right?" Shani said hopefully.

"Oh, _yeah_," Clotho said, satisfied.

"Why don't you guys just shut up," their theoretical leader, Orga, said impatiently.

The carrier's side hatches opened, and the Forbidden flew out, followed closely by the Raider; a second later, the Calamity (incapable of independent flight) landed atop the Raider. The trio were a site as a formidable tea m.

* * *

Things weren't going so well for the Astrays; there were simply too many targets. But the three test pilots were holding their own... mostly. Juri was being pressed backwards into a cliff by a persistent Dagger... until Mayura showed up, firing her beam rifle. "Back off!"

Not far away, Asagi was driven backwards by another determined enemy, her shield the only thing between her and a nasty beam saber. "Mayura!" she called desperately.

The help came not from her fellow Astray pilot, however; instead, the Freedom came down from the sky. Kira's face was quite expressionless as his targeting computer locked onto the various Daggers in the area and allocated the Freedom's firepower accordingly. Balaena plasma cannons, Xiphias railguns, and Lupus beam rifle all opened up at once, destroying or disarming all but two of the directly opposing foes.

And the two survivors found out why you do not irritate Kira Yamato. He stowed his beam rifle, let go of his shield, and whipped out both Lacertas; with a pair of flashing blows, he cut off their weapons arms and legs, leaving them to drop uselessly to the dirt. Without a wasted second, he then snatched up his shield and was back in the skies.

"Awesome!" Asagi whispered.

* * *

Another Dagger exploded, victim of a beam straight through the cockpit, and the rebuilt Strike landed in a crouch where the enemy had been. "Wow, this is pretty cool," La Flaga muttered cheerfully. "Though I'm still kinda new at this."

"Well Mu, at least your not green with Combat." Samorei called, as the Nosferatu maneuvered around emerald blasts, heading right for a dagger. It moved with swift as it moved around a Dagger. With its left arm, it latched it around the head of the dagger. Then it made its true move, as the claw on the back of its right arm, latched onto the Torso. The Daggers energy began to syphon from the Dagger, into the Nosferatu. When Nos battery was full again, It pulled out one of its beam sabers, and shredded the Dagger with the saber. "Ahh, thats better, now I truly see why I call this thing Vampire." he smirked.

"Your telling me." Mu called, as he drew a beam saber, and severed the legs from a Daggers Torso.

"Asagi, are you alright?" Savir called, as his pure white M1 landed beside hers, targeting a Dagger and taking it out.

"Yeah." she told them.

* * *

"Savir, stay frosty, incoming underwater targets, likley Proteus Mobile Armors." Sam called out, as his machine dodged another attack, and fired its beam rifle through the chest cavity of the Dagger. Sam was right, as an unlucky Astray by the water, was surprised attack, as a Proteus Mobile armor jumped out of the water, and opened fire from its mouth, engulfing the Astray in hot Plasma. Three more took to the land after that, as each of them roared, and began to head into the city, with their shoulder units shredding tall enough buildings.

"Take them out!" a M1B pilot called, however, wasn't able to do anything, as one of the Mobile Armors, bit down upon the left arm of the Astray. But then destroyed the Mobile suit, as its CIWs opened fire rapidly to the cockpit of the machine.

"Damn." Mina said, as her machine jumped away from one. "They just made things harder." she called out.

"Things are about to get worst." Kira called.

"You got that right." a voice called, as all of a sudden, a flying Mobile Armor came into view. The front part, split into four, as it opened up like that of the Aegis, and fired a multiphase beam cannon. The Nosferatu barely dodged the attack.

"Sam!" Kira called, however before he could go to help him, a blast of blue light passed by, as he turned to see another Mobile suit appear, transforming and drawing a beam saber all at once. Kira managed to get one of his own out, before the new machine could slice through him. He did so, and the Machine then went by him, transforming into its plane form once again. "What in the world?" he asked himself, as the two new machines came from nowhere.

"Kira." Sam said quietly as the Nosferatu drew a beam saber, looking at its new opponent.

"Its been a long time Samorei. And I see we both have new machines, since our last encounter." Banken mused with the Jade Frame.

"Banken, what the hell are you doing here?" Sam called as Banken smirked.

"To recruit a friend of yours, and Destroy this pathetic place you call home." Banken told him, as an Amethyst Seed within Banken's mind exploded into a supernova. "Face it Samorei, this place is gone, you are no match for these forces, even with Kira's new machine!" he yelled as a yellow saber ignited from the right wrist of the black mobile suit. "Now you will face the wrath of Voyager!"

* * *

Raider, with Calamity aboard, swooped in on the _Archangel_. "That white one," Clotho muttered, obviously not realizing what it was, "it's mine!"

It was actually the Calamity that opened fire, however; unfortunately for him, _Archangel_ saw it coming. "Incoming heat source!" Sai called.

"Evade!" Ramius ordered instantly, and the ship swerved to the side... which, regrettably, resulted in an Aegis ship getting blasted.

"Figures," Clotho muttered to his nominal superior. "You missed it!"

Raider tipped to the side, dropping its passenger onto one of the islands, then resumed its attack on the _Archangel_. "Annihilate!" he shouted, using one of his patented video game-inspired battle cries.

Freedom, however, took a dim view of his attempt to smash his mace-like spherical breaker through the ship's forward viewport, and kicked him in the head. And Kira narrowly dodged an attack from the Jet transformable mobile suit. Kira then now began to come under attack, as Shani and his Forbidden's Scythe came at him. Unluckily for him, the Coordinator dodged with absurd ease, and the Forbidden took off to find easier prey.

With a laugh, the green-haired pilot sliced an Aegis ship's superstructure in half before the Freedom could get close, and then the Raider emerged from the water. _"Surprise!_ You're terminated!" He flung the Mjollnir ball 'n chain at the winged mobile suit, narrowly missing.

"Kira!" Sam called once again, however as he was destracted, Banken smashed the Nosferatu towards the ground.

* * *

Meanwhile, Orb Waters, ZAFT sub:

"Hmm, that machine seems to resemble the Jade Frame." Rau notioned as he looked on the battle through the parascope of the submersible. Yzak in the room to notice of what he said.

"Commander, can I take a look?" he asked, as Rau nodded.

"I see no reason you can't." the commander notioned, as Yzak took one look, to see the Nosferatu fall to the ground, now it was surrounded, by the grounded Calamity Gundam, and Voyager Gundam.

"Sam." Yzak said tightening his grip. "Is that you?" he asked himself as Rau smirked.

"It is possible Yzak, that its your brother, I have a feeling it might be." he commented. "Its nice to know that he is fighting against the true enemy now." Rau added in.

"Then we should help them! ZAFT should be helping Orb against the Earth Forces Bastards!" he yelled at his commander.

"We offered our help Yzak, however Orb declined our offer." he told him.

"Bull." Yzak called, as he left the bridge of the sub.

Rau just smirked at it. And Yzak ran through the coorridors, passing a confused Flay who's door was open. She can not do anything about it, as she could not fly a mobile suit if she even tried. Yzak on the otherhand ran through into the pilots ready room. He opened up his locker almost in the fit of rage. "That damn fool, what the hell has he gotten himself into?" he asked himself. He dressed into his pilots uniform, and went right for his machine. "Yzak, what are you doing?" the radio officer asked him. "I'm helping my brother, now open the damn hatch, or I will Destroy it myself!" he called out.

As on the bridge Rau shook his head, still with a smirk on his face. "Surface, and then open the hatch, and give him a Guul unit." Rau told the captain of the sub.

"But commander!" he objected.

"Captain, you yourself know, how dangerous it is, with a Sub having a gaping hole in it. And the Joule Family are very easily angered, and don't go back on what they say about blowing something up." He told the captain.

"Alright, Rell, Surface, and prepare to launch the Duel, and a Guul." The captain ordered.

* * *

Orb, Battle:

Samorei jumped out of the way, of a twin pair of beams striking the ground where the Nosferatu once stood. "Damn it Banken, just what the hell are you planning!" Samorei radioed to one of his opponents.

"Hey Hey Hey, don't forget me!" Orga called out, as he fired his chest mounted Scylla Cannon at Sam, who jumped over it, as the beam crashed into a building that was Behind Sam.

"Argh" Sam moaned as his Machine was barely able to dodge some of these attacks. "Kira I'm in a bit of trouble." Sam called out.

"Your not the only one." Kira answered back, as the Freedom took a azure beam blast from the mobile suit that turned into a Jet again and again. "That machine, can't seem to keep in flight when its not in its mobile armor form." Kira portrayed, as his Balena Plasma Cannons snapped over, and fired at the White machine, however they never made it, as the beams were defected by the Forbidden. "It deflected, the Beams!" Kira said in disbelief. "Its the same as the White Frame." he put in, as he remembered that the White Frame was also capable of such a thing.

"Sam!" Mina called, as her Astray was heading for the battle between the three Gundams, however, five Proteus Mobile Armors got in her path. "Damn." She said as the machines opened fire with their machine guns on the M1, which jumped away.

That was when Ahmed came in, blocking a hail of bullets with his own shield, and bringing up his machines Gun Launcher, which fired on one blowing a few holes in its skeleton blowing it to kingdom come. He then moved his shield away, and created the anti armor shotgun and fired at them once again. "Take that!" he called, as he dodged a Plasma Cannon attack, while Mina took it to her shield. Unknown to the Proteus that fired at them to get a taste of its own medicine with the Beam going right back at that very mobile armor.

"Thanks kid. I owe you one." Mina told him.

"You don't oh me anything Lady Sahaku, I just payed you back, for helping me back at the Desert." He told her.

"Alright, we are also losing ground, head back to Hq, that place needs more to protect it." she told him, with that Ahmed just nodded in agreement.

* * *

The _Archangel _was, for once, being left alone by the main forces; at the moment, it was merely being attacked by a squadron of missile-armed fighter craft.

"Fire Igelstellungs" Natarle ordered, as the weapons handled the missiles, but the aircraft themselves escaped... until a green beam came out of nowhere to smite part of the formation from the skies.

"What the-" Ramius craned her neck, wondering what had fired the shot.

Sai looked at his displays in complete shock. "The Buster!"

The Captain's head snapped around, and Mir gasped audibly. For indeed, standing knee-deep in the harbor was the Buster, both rifles leveled at the fighter squadron. Looking nice and formiddable after its repairs by the Archangel, it fired its shoulder-mounted missile launchers, then obliterated the stragglers with his beam rifle."Archangel_, fall back, quickly!"_

Mir couldn't take her eyes off the display, she was so stunned. "But why... is he...?" She pushed the thought aside. "Dearka, the Nosferatu is in trouble, help it out!" She called out.

* * *

As it indeed was, Sam dodged once again from relentless attacks from the Voyager and Calamity. The Voyager, also seemed to be doing something as it's pilot thought of something. Sam took flight, as the Calamity opened fire on it. He dodged it, but the Voyager did the uncanny, four barrel shaped pods, ejected from the Subflight unit and moved away from the body, connected still to the flyer via cable. "I don't think so." Banken called out, two of the pods deflected Orga's beams right at the Jade Frame once again, along with unleashing their own beams at him as well.

"That tech? He put them on gunbarrel's?" Sam asked himself. As he dodged, he then got the Electro cannons read to fire on Voyager.

Banken knew what they were, and used his thrusters to go right for Samorei. "Damn!" Sam yelled out loud as Banken came ever so closer to him with all four Beam sabers ignited, in the same fashion as the Aegis' own.

"Your dead!" Banken yelled, as the machine came closer to the Jade Frame. That was when something hit him, that he did not know about. The thing that hit him, was a fully thrusted Guul with the Duel onboard. "YOU!"

"No one trys to kill my brother and gets away with it!" Yzak called out, as he hit the thrusters of the Duel taking off from the GuuL and firing his own railgun into the Guul having it detonate at point blank range of Voyager, not damageing it, but shaking the pilot up. The Duel fell to the ground, and on an unlucky Proteus who was crushed under the weight of the Duel.

"Yazk. . ." Sam said amazed, as the Nosferatu landed infront of the Duel. "Yzak what are you doing here?" he asked.

Yzak smirked. "Easy brother, something I've wanted to do for a long, long time, ever since you joined the military." he informed him.

"What is that?" Sam asked.

"Easy, to become an unbeatable team, alongside my own brother." He told him, as the Calamity's pilot smirked.

"Not today!" he called out, as the Scylla charged up and fired at the two brothers.

"Sam look out!" Mina called, as Sam's Machine saw the oncoming energy blast towards it, but cannot get out of the way in time. Yzak thought quickly as the Duel then pushed the Nosferatu out of the way, which was easy with the weight of the two units. The Blast then only had one target, in which it hit its mark upon the Duel, with a large Explosion infront of the Jade Frame.

"Yzak. . ." Sam said in fright, as Dearka saw the whole Ordeal infront of him. Both of his fists clenched together with this. Sam was the same way. "You. . ."

"Bastard!" Dearka and Sam both yelled, as with the Nosferatu, the machines eyes glowed a ghostly white, while Dearka's machine's missile pods opened up, both Machines primary target, was the Calamity. Sam's machine, a pair of weapons that resembled the Freedom's railguns, but they then fired. Three beams emerged from Samorei's machine, while the Buster fired all its Missiles, and its beam gun, and Gun Launcher all at the same time, towards the Calamity.

Orga saw in shock from the sudden attack as he barely jumped out of the way of the barrage of weapon fire, while uisng his beam cannons to destroy the missiles.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kira was having trouble with his opponents, He was mainly having trouble with the Jet Machine, which seemed to Transform to ram the Freedom rather then cut the machine. "This is nuts, these machines are good, even for Natural pilots." Kira told himself. "Unless they are not even Naturals." Kira told himself.

Things were coming to a head, as the Freedom madly dodged blasts from two of the new G-Weapons, and being Rammed by the white machine, known as Wing. Finally, though, he took a hit on his shield from the Forbidden's scythe, and Kira fell back a pace. In the interval it took him to recover, the Raider powered up its head-mounted short-range hyper-impulse cannon. The Forbiddin charged its Plasma Cannon, while the Wing transformed and aimed its Buster Rifle at the Freedom "Game over," Clotho whispered, and the three Machines fired.

At the last instant, another red machine interposed itself and its shield between the beam and the Freedom, then raised its beam rifle and fired, catching the Raider in the shoulder. Meanwhile on the ground, Banken decided to go for Dearka, as his Machine transformed into its mobile armor mode, and at the tip, the beam sabers ignited, and it thrusted right for the Buster.

"Dearka look out!" Samorei yelled, as the machine was coming right at him. However, that was when something was shot out of the smoke of where the Duel was, and it was a Grenade, which hit, and explode on the Voyager.

"AHHH!" Banken yelled, as his Machine transformed as it landed on the ground, with smoke filtering off the machine from the Grenade. The Smoke cleared from its Origin, and the Duel could be seen, without its Assault Shroud equipment.

Yzak smirked inside his Mobile suit. "One thing Banken. A Joule is not taken out so easy." he said as the Duel then charged Voyager, drawing its beam saber.

Mina smirked at it, as she jumped away from a persistent Proteus, and the fired a beam through its cockpit.

* * *

Then she looked into the air, as the newcomer floated infront of Kira and the Freedom, as though protecting it.

"What is that thing?" Clotho demanded.

"Hmm. It's another one of those... funny looking mobile suits," Shani murmured.

Inside the Justice's cockpit, Athrun keyed his radio. "This is ZAFT Special Forces Agent... Athrun Zala," he transmitted to the Freedom. "Do you read me, Freedom? Or should I say... Kira Yamato?"

Kira gasped. "_Athrun?" _he asked.

The moment's rest was interrupted by the Raider's sudden movement. "I don't know who you are, but you're gonna be a fatality, too!"

Kira and Athrun were not impressed; the incoming Mjollnir was stopped by the shield of the Justice, then it snatched out the beam saber. Continuing the motion, he snapped the handle onto the second saber, and slashed out with the resulting double-bladed weapon.

The Freedom also pulled out a blade. "What are you doing here?" Kira demanded. "Has ZAFT decided to stick its nose in this battle?"

Athrun dodged another attack and fired his backpack-mounted energy weapons. "I haven't received any specific military orders regarding this situation," he admitted. "This intervention... is my decision alone!" Athrun admitted to him.

Orga, and Banken knew they could not take on all three of the Machines infront of them, so they left them for the incoming Daggers, that broke some of the Astray Defences. Orga then noticed the Areial battle overhead. "Take this!" he shouted, firing his back-mounted beam cannons.

He was, to say the least, a poor shot, and Shani was forced to deploy his deflectors. "Watch it, Orga!"

The insanity did not end there; the deflected beams nearly struck the Raider. "Shani! You idiot!" Clotho snarled.

Below, the Buster looked up. "Huh?"

Mu followed his gaze. "What's going on up there?" The Astray test pilots had similar thoughts.

"Mind if I play, too?" Orga mocked, and jumped into the air. He came down hard on an Aegis cruiser, blowing up its Bridge; the lunatic of a pilot hardly noticed. "Have some of this!"

"Cut it out, Orga!" Clotho immediately called, narrowly dodging the blast.

"Athrun!" Kira warned, flipping away from another Mjollnir attack.

"Kira, above!" Athrun had spotted the Forbidden, coming right down at them.

Both mobile suits scattered, allowing it to fly past; Kira and Athrun then proceeded to engage it simultaneously, but were faltered as the Wing came in after Kira, leaving Athrun alone with the Forbidden. Athrun slashed at the Forbidden which moved away. "Is that it?" Shani asked, as his railguns electromagnetic field activated, as he fired a few shots of Plasma at the Justice, which dodged them, but was amazed that the beams were following him.

He dodged each of them, rather then blocking with his shield, while Kira had to deal with both Clotho, and the Wing Gundams. He had no idea of who the pilots were, or how they are so good at this. Clotho all of a sudden came in, he fired his Mjollnir. Kira to deal with the Forbidden. The task proved quite frustrating, as it deflected everything that came at it. Until the Justice's Fatum-00, operating under remote-control, distracted Shani by flying mere centimeters above.

By the time he oriented on the real threat, the Freedom was already there; both Xiphias railguns fired at point-blank range, blasting him away. Athrun took one of his beam boomerangs and threw it at the Forbidden, but the Earth Forces machine knocked it away. With that, the Justice combined again with its Subflight unit, and had its boomerang connect again on its shoulder piece. That was when Kira and Athrun went after the Raider.

* * *

Meanwhile Ahmed made it close to the main building where all the commands were being sent from. The city now, was much in ruins from the battle, and he saw the horror of what was once a peaceful area to live. "Is this what war is like?" he asked himself, as his white and green machine looked over the field of battle as explosions were still being heard in the area. "I see why mom did not want me to be a part of Desert Dawn." he told himself, as his sensors picked something up. Six Daggers that got through the main defences came running, but not at him, they were going for the command center. In which Ahmed's brain processed, one thing. "Cagalli!" he said, as he hit his thrusters for overdrive, so he can get there even faster.

* * *

Orb Battle headquarters:

"Incoming mobile suits on this building!" the sensor officer called, catching everyone off guard, as Cagall looked through the window.

"Quick! Radio any available units to help us!" she called.

"There is no time!" a female communications officer called out, as Kisaka lowered his head.

"Is this the end for us?" he asked as Cagalli looked out the window one more time, seeing the Daggers heading her way, and began to pray as she held the item Ahmed gave to her, a few months ago. The Daggers stood, as they were unchallenged, as they targeted the building with their beam rifles.

As just outside, Ahmed came running connecting his two weapons together, into the Sniper Rifle Configuration. Still with the speed, he opened fire with his rifle, destroying five of the daggers, which were caught by surprise from the attack, as the M1B entered the smoke, as the last dagger jumped away.

"What in the world?" Kisaka asked as he was amazed that they were actually not blown away.

Cagalli looked up, as she saw the image of a M1B in the smoke. As the Dagger began to see it as well, as Ahmed stared with anger and rage in his eyes. "No one, ever hurts Cagalli!" he yelled, as the emerald light appeared from the nozzle of the beam rifle which went an pierced the Strike Dagger into the cockpit.

* * *

As this happens, the Nosferatu flew after Voyager, as the two Machines were evenly matched with each other. "You are really annoying me Joule." He called. However when he turned Samorei latched onto the head with his machines right arm's claw. "What!?" he yelled.

"This is why my Machine is called the Vampire!" Sam yelled back, as he began to cypher energy from Voyager right into the battery of the Nosferatu.

"Damn!" He called, as he transformed, knocking the Nosferatu away, but his power was low. "Damn." With that, he turned, and fired his thrusters for a retreat.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kira and Athrun fought the Raider, whose pilot was going completely berserk. "Finishing _move!"_ Clotho shouted, firing his head-mounted hyper-impulse cannon again.

Freedom caught the blast on its shield, and Justice, behind it, fell upside down until its beam cannons came into play. "Try this," Athrun muttered, and fired.

He missed, unfortunately... as did the next pair of beams, which came from below. "Orga! What are you doing?" Clotho demanded.

"You're bugging me!" Orga called back, and leapt into the air, still firing. This time, though, the Forbidden was the target. "The same goes for you, Shani!"

These guys don't care about each other," Athrun commented to Kira, seeing them begin to blast each other.

Shani, of course, deflected the beams... straight at Clotho, who raced right at him. "I've had enough, Orga! You're bugging _me- Aaaahhhh!"_

The sentiment was shared -and repeated- by his theoretical comrades, at more or less the same time. To the bemusement of the defenders, the three new Gundams turned tail and headed back to their carrier, screaming in agony all the while. However the white Plane transformed once again, to show that it is not affected. But changed back into plane mode, and flew back towards the Earth Forces.

* * *

A moment later, the Earth Forces fired Signal flares, in which many daggers, and Proteus Mobile Armors began their retreat, by diving back into the water. The battle for now, was Orb, but many of their forces were lost. Soon the battle was over, and Mobile suits began to power down, to to batterys running out, or being turned off. . . peace has fallen over Orb once again, the only question is, for how long?

* * *

A/N: Ok fast update, but once I started writing I could not stop writing this chapter. Please Read and Review. The rest of the battle, continues later. 


	29. Chapter 29: Orbs Fate

Chapter 29: Orbs Fate

* * *

Orb, the once peaceful nation with a city anyone could wish to live in, was no more then ruins, littered with treasures fleeing families left behind. Fires broken out in several buildings, as others collapsed under their own weight, no longer able to support themselves, from the battle that had just happened. In the air, several helicopters flew overhead, looking for any surviving soldiers for them to help, or civilians that did not get out of the town in time to get to the primary boats that are waiting to help them retreat. 

Rondo Mina Sahaku inside her M1 ripped her helmet off as sweat poured down her face, and even do to the sweat, some of her makeup streaked down, as the battle for them all, were long and hard. Archangel suffered damage, and Orb lost many forces from the initial attack. Out of the new M1 B Astrays, only four still existed after the battle, including Ahmeds own unit. Even though they are Melee capable, but they were not built for such options. And Ahmed has been somewhat declared a hero for saving the headquarters late in the battle.

"So, just who is that newcomer? I know the duel was Yzak, but what is that new machine?" Mina asked herself, as her cockpit opened, allowing herself to be lowered to the ground via cable. Around her, soldiers had their wounds tended, and offered water and food do to not having any during the battle. Any Rations that could be found were given, as she saw Savir pouring the water in his mouth from high up cooling off, and having a drink at the same time. She walked near the Strike to see Mu pouring water over his head to cool off, while others were stripping the outer layer of their flight suits off, to get the evening breeze to blow over them.

* * *

In the sky however, the Freedom and Justice just looked at each other. "Thanks for the backup," Kira radioed to the Justice. "But I'm still wondering... What exactly are your true intentions here?" he asked. 

The top of his machine's chest plate slid forward, and his pilot's seat rose to the top. "I'm on a mission from the PLANTs," he told them. "My orders are to recapture or destroy the mobile suit you're flying right now, the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. And to destroy any person that came into contact with the machine." he added in, which Kira looked on in shock, hoping he did not have to shoot at his friend any more.

"Athrun...?"

"I just wanna talk, okay?"

Kira watched his old friend cautiously. When last they'd met... But that was a different time, with different circumstances. "All right."

Samorei's Nosferatu, and Yzak's Duel stopped not far from each other, as Dearka opened his cockpit watching the Archangel fly overhead, to land where its Mobile suits are at. Yzak quickly lowered himself to the ground infront of his now Armorless Duel Gundam, while not far from him the Justice and Freedom were descending towards the ground. "Now, I get to figure out, just who exactly is piloting ZAFT's ZGMF -X10A Freedom, the one that spared my life in Alaska." he mused to himself, as rather then going to Samorei, began walking to where the feet of the Justice is.

Cagalli soon approached, walking between the rows of powered-down mobile suits. "Good job, everyone," she called. "I'm not sure why they retreated, but..." Then she saw the last two machines coming in for a landing, and stopped. That was when Mina approached her.

"It seems we have a few more machine models then what we started out with." she pointed out, as Cagalli nodded. "I heard you also had a close call during the battle. With that, Freedom and Justice landed more or less simultaneously, and as their pilots lowered themselves to the ground, Cagalli ran forward, followed by Mina, Mu, Dearka, Kisaka, Ahmed, Samorei, the Astray pilots, and a number of soldiers along with Yzak who was not with the main group. "That's the pilot we rescued," Kisaka said in surprised recognition.

_Athrun?_ Cagalli thought.

The three pilots on the ground began walking toward each other, and the soldiers raised their weapons. "Lower your weapons!" Samorei yelled over the crowd, as he took off towards them. Kira also like Samorei but raised his hand. "Lower your weapons, he is not our enemy!" he called out. By this time, Ramius and most of the _Archangel_'s crew had also arrived, and she signaled them to halt well away from... whatever it was that was going on.

She took note of the three new pilots in the area, each wearing ZAFT read flight suits. '_What in the world, ZAFT soldiers? I know one was a prisoner on the ship but the other two?"_ she wondered as she then looked at the Duel. '_The Duel!" _She thought in surprise. Mu came over to her as he took note that, the machines that still existed that were at Heliopolis are actually here and not fighting each other for once.

With this, Kira and Athrun were a mere meter and a half apart, watching each other. Neither seemed very sure what to do, neither seemed to want to be the first to speak. But then something else came to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Birdy!"

Both pilots looked up as the mechanical bird winged its way down to them, alighting on Kira's shoulder. That broke the spell, and Kira looked back at his friend and smiled. "Hi, Athrun."

Athrun clenched his fists. "Kira," he said, in an almost normal voice.

Cagalli couldn't take it anymore. Eyes shining, a bright smile on her face, she raced to the two, followed at a more sedate pace by Snake. "Oh, you guys!"

She wrapped an arm around each neck, pulling them closer together. "Uh, Cagalli?" Kira stammered, startled.

"You... you're both idiots!" she said happily.

Kira looked across at Athrun and chuckled; his friend did the same.

That was when someone broke the awkward Silence. "So the Idiot brigade are all together for the first time." Yzak joked with them.

"Nice to see you to Yzak." Athrun said as he saw him.

"Yeah, for once your not shooting at us." Samorei said walking towards his brother, and with this, Dearka joined in. Yzak walked right over to Samorei just to see his brother in person in the first time, since his reported Death. "Its been a long time Yzak." Sam told him as Yzak nodded.

"Samorei, I just, I . . . Just. . ." he said, but then out of nowhere, Yzak's fist planed right into the face of the coordinator who flew backwards a few centimeters from the shot from his brothers fist. With this, several Orb Soldiers took aim at Yzak, do to hitting one of their commanding officer. Sam raised himself up a bit whiping a bit of blood coming from his nose, from a result of the impact. "THAT IS FOR EVERYTHING YOU PUT MOM AND ME THROUGH!" he yelled as Sam just had a blank stare at his younger brother.

"Don't fire!" Sam said realizing what the soldiers were doing. "I deserved that!" he called out, as Yzak extended him a hand helping his brother up. "I really did deserve that, and all I can give in return is an apology Yzak."

"Pfft, just as usual, excuses." Yzak told him.

Sam smirked as he signaled Mina from the crowd. "Yzak, I like you to meet the girl, I have been protecting ever since I went missing, and mainly doing so at Heliopolis." he told his brother as Mina came over to them.

"Rondo Mina Sahaku!" he said in shock, as he at least knew of her, but did not know his brother was actually with her.

"And you must be Yzak. Samorei has told me much about you." she told him with a smirk holding out her hand, as he took it, and shaked the hand. "Especially your hot temper." she added in with a smirk.

Yzak actually cracked a smile at that. "Well, I bet you will like to here more about him, a lot that only I know of." he told her, which Samorei went wide eyed.

"Well, we don't have to get into that." Samorei told them, as Dearka and Mu both came up laughing.

"Well then, you seem to see your brother again." Mu told him, putting an arm around Samorei. "Hey there, Mr. Joule, the name is Mu La Flaga." he told Yzak.

* * *

The entire group returned to base, as many mobile suits were getting repaired, however the G-Weapons were not, and a few Astrays as well. However, mostly for everyone the only thing that they needed really, were rest, but hardly anyone could do to that the Earth Forces Fleet has not left Orb Waters. And a counter attack was out of the question, even with the new additions to the forces, simply do to overwhelming numbers. 

Yzak leaned against the Duel's foot, as infront of him, Samorei leaned on some Maintenance equipment. "I'm glad you came to help Yzak." Sam told him, as Yzak continued to look at the ground infront of Sam.

"Its nothing. . ." Yzak told him, as Sam felt his face where Yzak hit him, which resulted in a bruise below the eye.

And all Sam did, was just smile at the thought he was thinking. "I don't think it was nothing Yzak. You felt something that I feel all the time. The need to protect, rather then Revenge." he told him.

Yzak just smirked at that. "Who knows maybe, its just, that fighting you all this time, do to anger towards you from what you did to our family. I just. . ."

Sam reached to the side of him, on the table next to him, picking up his glass of soda and taking a drink from it. "You just did not want your family to be hurt, as much as it already has." he ended what Yzak was getting at. "So, what are you going to do now? Return to ZAFT, or stay for the next battle?" he asked.

Yzak was wondering that as well. He now actually had a chance to actual work alongside his brother, on the battlefield, something he has been wanting to do for years. "I have no idea. Your here, is for one point, but ZAFT, are the protecters of our home, that is something I cannot ignore Sam." he answered. "But for now at least, I will help you, because I hate the Earth Forces, and attacking someone who wanted nothing to do with them. Argh, I hate them." He said turning around, kicking the duel's ankle. The kick did not go un-noticed, as Natarle was looking at the stolen units.

"You do realize you wont be able to damage it like that." she notioned walking towards them.

"Natarle." Sam said surprised. "I'm sure this is not a social visit, but what brings you here?" he asked.

"Nothing really." she acknowledged. "Just taking a look at the machines that fought us so often. And right now, though I'm looking at the one that has well pretty much fought us the most." She added in.

Sam nodded, "Well then, here is the pilot, Yzak Joule." he told her, notioning towards Yzak.

She nodded, looking at the two. "I can definitely see the similarities." she told them both, as Yzak shook his head.

"How many times do I have to tell people, I don't look like my brother!" he called out, obviously not likeing it.

* * *

Meanwhile, Athrun, and Kira catch up with each other as well. "I know that this is the most difficult path we could've chosen," Kira was saying, "But-" He broke off for a moment as Cagalli arrived with coffee. "Thanks. Anyway, it's the right thing to do, you know?" He absently sipped at the mug. 

"But, why?" Athrun asked, glancing briefly at Snake as he arrived.

"I believe that Cagalli's father is right," Kira answered. "If Orb were to side with the Earth Forces, they'd have to fight the PLANTs, and the same would be true if they joined forces with ZAFT. The only difference would be in which country they were considered the enemy."

Athrun nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. But there's still..."

"I know." The brown-haired Coordinator remembered the battle Athrun was thinking of. "I took your friends life. But... it's not like I wanted to do it, and I'd never even met the guy."

"And then," Kira went on, "you nearly did the same to _my_ friend and Yzak's brother. But you hadn't met _my friend_ either, and..."

"Mind if I step in with this conversation?" Mina asked as she walked up. "I took note of combat records from the remains of Sam's Machine. You spoke of the pilot of the Blitz there right?" she asked as Athrun looked up. "Well the thing is, he is alive." she told them.

"What? Nicol, is alive?" Athrun asked as she nodded.

"Yeah, he is currently heading to Ame-No-Mihashira, he is charged with helping the Civilians on their way there on the Izumo." she told him. "If I knew that his old team were all coming together, I would of kept him here." she added in.

Athrun just smiled at that. "Nicol, he is alive." he silently noted. "So the battle where I tried to kill you" he said turning to Kira. "It was a false battle, neither of our friends actually died in combat during that time."

"It would be nice if we lived in a world where we never had to fight," he explained slowly, obliquely. "I wish we could all live in that world... forever. But this war keeps escalating... and at this rate, we'll have no choice but to destroy each other." he said looking at the cup, thinking of Andy and Aisha back at the battle in the desert.

"And that's why I've chosen to fight," he finished. "I only wanted to protect people, but now that I've pulled the trigger, there's no turning back." He looked at Athrun again. "Will we have to fight each other again?"

"Kira!" Athrun protested.

Kira merely looked at him, not speaking, and a flash of the past went through Athrun's mind. _"If I am to be your enemy, then you might as well shoot me now," Lacus said in a determined voice. "Athrun Zala, soldier of ZAFT!"_

The blue-clad pilot finally stood. "I should get back to my duties now," he said, walking away. "We never know when they'll attack us again."

Athrun also stood. "I have one question: The Freedom is equipped with a neutron-jammer canceler. What would happen... if that data...?"

Kira smiled reassuringly. "If anyone tried to get that data from me for their own purposes, I'd shoot them." he told his friend, walking off.

Sam and Yzak saw Kira go by as they spoke to Natarle about combat strategies, to use in the future.

* * *

A while later, Sam walking into an area where Erica Simmons asked him to meet her, along with the Duel's pilot. "You wanted to speak with me?" Sam asked her. 

"Oh Sam, its good to see you are still alive." she told him with a smirk.

He nodded, "Only because of Yzak." he told her.

"Quite, and speaking of the Duel Pilot, I have been working on something for when or if we ever got the Duel like we did with the Buster." she told him, sitting down at her computer. "We don't have time right now, to upgrade the machine, but we do have its plans all set." she told the two.

"Plans?" Yzak asked as he came over, to see a blue print of the Duel on the screen. It looked like much of when it had the Assault shroud, but there were other things upon it. On its hips, were a pair of railguns, much like that of the Freedom, infact they are the same, Xiphias railguns of the Freedom. Its armor also was black in color, and it had a Raikou back pack on the mobile suit, with two carved blades on its sides, rather then the extra wings the Raikou pack had. "Flight capabilitie, new Melee weapons, and whats this, Fragmentation missiles!" he said with shock, and a smile on his face.

"Yes." Erica notioned. "It is the way we are doing so. The mobile suit though wont be upgraded for a while, and if we chose to make a Mass produced version, we would have to wait for a while. We would not be able to make a mobile suit here.

Yzak was already liking the upgrades form more and more. It may have more weapons, but it was lighter the the shround. "What do you call this upgrade?" he asked.

"Delta Shroud." Sam told him. "With what we have planned, its control systems will be much the same as the Freedoms, its just that you wont have the same power source, until the falling into the wrong hands thing comes invalid if it ever does." he continued.

"I see, so it will be able to do the multi target." Yzak commented. His machine still had its beam sabers, and rifle, just it also had more weapons to use as well, and able to target more enemies at once.

"Yes much so." Erica told him.

* * *

In the _Archangel_'s hanger, Athrun leaned against one of the storage scaffolds for his Justice, thinking; he soon realized Cagalli was still in the area, leaning against another side of the same structure. "Why are you sticking so close to me?" 

"Don't mind me," she said, apparently offhand. "I'm just standing guard."

"So I see," he said with a smile, not quite buying it.

"You must be relieved that Kira's alive," Cagalli said after a time.

Athrun glanced at her. "Yeah," he agreed after a moment. "You know," he added, "I never thanked you properly before."

"Sure you did!" she said instantly. "Definitely! Well, maybe," she added after a moment's thought.

"Are you sure?"

Cagalli shrugged. "You weren't quite yourself; maybe you don't remember."

Athrun accepted that; "not quite himself" was something of an understatement. At the time, he'd believed he'd just blown up two of his closest friends... one of them for something the other did.

"Kira's changed, don't you think?" she said after a while.

Athrun thought about that. "No," he said finally.

"He hasn't?" The answer surprised her.

"He's the same as he always was." He told her, as he looked over the hangar. Within it now, were two out of the five original machines of Heliopolis, along with both the Freedom, and Justice inside it as well. "Where is the Jade Frame, Duel, and Sahaku's machines?"

Cagalli shrugged. "Probably back at Morgenrete. They are more into the preperations for the next attack." she answered him.

Ahmed came walking in, as he saw the two talking to each other, as he because he heard, Cagalli was in the area, and he was right, however talking to Athrun, the 'New guy' Ahmed thought of him as. But for someone new, he sure seemed to know Cagalli. "I wonder, as they know each other, could he be the guy she met on that?" he asked himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Archangel Cafeteria: 

Mu took some food as as Dearka sat at a table. "Hey, mind if I sit here?" he asked as Dearka nodded. "So, you were the one who was in the brig for so long." he mused as Dearka nodded.

"Yeah, the place was kind of well cramped." Dearka joked. "Actually now able to have my own room here, the bed, is a lot better. But I can't say much about the food here." he joked, getting a hardy laugh from Mu.

* * *

A while later, the moment of peace ended. _"Airborne mobile suit forces detected!" _The island wide announcement called out. 

The warning rang out throughout the Morgenroete hanger, and pilots moved quickly to respond. '_Already?' _Yzak asked himself stood on a walkway, watching the M1 Astrays move out. He was still having his own problems, but his decision had just about been made: he would fight to protect Orb and help his brother, as he saw the Nosferatu taking off into the sky. And with that, he went for the Duel, to help out everyone else.

With this the battle has begun again, turning Orb Soil, into a battle field. The Forces of the Earth Forces, were lead by five moible suits, the Raider, Calamity, Forbidden, Wing, and Voyager, were heading right for the beach, with Proteus, and Daggers behind them. "_All Mobile suits, take off, protect your family!_" Mina's voice called out. And with that, the Earth Forces machines, came under fire from a barrage of beam fire from Astrays.

Inside the oncoming G-Weapons, Shani smirked. "Payback time."

"Hahaha, time for a Rematch!" Clotho said as the Raider carrying the Calamity Flew.

"Hey, hey, hey, You want some of this?!" Orga called out, as Calamity did what it could do, as a long range attack mobile suit, it opened fire from a distance, while Shani was having the beams bend away from him, and into the sky away from the Daggers.

"Listen merc, you are still under my command." Banken said to his wingman as the two mobile armored mobile suits flew, as though they were jet fighters.

"Whatever." the other pilot told him as the thrusters of Wing took thrust, as the wingman went ahead of his partner. "I just want to test that machine I fought yesterday, maybe today we can actually fight, mono to mono.

Banken just smirked at that, as his Machine flew towards Orb, as its nose of its mobile armor form opened. "Get closer and then." he said to himself. "And FIRE!" he yelled, as the Scylla opened fire towards the Orb nation, as soon as the beam ended, the Mobile Armor reverted to its Mobile suit form, and did something it did not do in the last battle, and released colloid particles cloaking the mobile suit to its invisible state.

* * *

Sam took a position on top of the hill, as his targeting system chose a certain spot of origin, as the two cannons on his machines horizontal wings snapped into position. Two orbs of energy began to glow from the nozzles of the two cannons. "I wont let you take my home." he told himself, as the two beams fired, this time with more intensity then what they had before during the last time they were used. Mainly because to engulf a larger area.

* * *

Kira, and Athrun went under the blast as the purple energy went over them as the two Nuclear units went to combat a common foe. The first time in this war, the two pilots flew for the same goal, for the same reasons, and the most notable, the first time, on the same side. The blast went over them, thankful they themselves were not in the path, as they both could see Earth Forces Daggers being destroyed from within as the Blast passed on through them. "He really hates them don't he?" Kira asked, as he noticed that Sam showed the Earth Forces no holding back from his machine, as the Blast desceased, and the Nosferatu took off heading with the two of them. 

Athrun nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it seems that way, Yzak was right, his brother did change." he told his friend, as the Justice got ready for combat. "Kira enemy machines coming in. All five of their G-Weapons are coming right at us." he informed his friend.

"I see them." Kira acknowledged Athrun's warning, as his body tensed, ready for another battle, but this time, all the Machines will be together.

Inside the enemy machines, Orga noticed the two machines, with the third behind them, catching up do to initiating the first attack. "It's those funny looking machines from yesterday!" Orga shouted. "Let's take 'em!"

Shani smiled at that. "Their lives will be no more!" he called out, as the three Machines went right for them. Banken and the Merc's machines followed the two.

"Two on five. Nice. . . that is until Samorei arrives." he mocked, as Voyager's thrusters sent him foreward, as the locks keeping the barrels on his flight pack unlocked from the lifter. "Now, you better quit the game, before I take you out of the Frame!" Banken yelled, as the four barrels disconnected, so now he could use his remote weapons.

"Hey kid, there is one around here, its either our old friend Creuset, or Banken." Mu warned Kira, as he took not of it just in time, as from above, and below the Earth Forces Gundams, beam energy fired.

"Athrun break our formation!" Kira called, as he banked right, and Athrun took the left.

"Its Banken." Samorei told them, as he flew above the attack. "And now its time for me to prove it." he told himself as he took aim at the water and fired.

Clotho took note of this. "What is he thinking wasting energy like that?" he asked. He didn't notice though, but the temporary rain showered down upon them, causing Voyager to take shape.

Banken just smirked at such a thing. "Smart Sam, you sure do know the weaknesses of Mirage Colloid rather well." he told himself, as with this, Voyager became visible once again.

"That machine, its Banken's all right." Kira told them, and with that the three on five battle began. Kira Athrun, and Samorei took on all five at once, and the battle was not to be an easy one.

* * *

Back on land, Proteus Mobile Armors began to go onto the shore, as Strike Daggers began to storm the beaches as well. However, they were met by the Defence Forces, as one Proteus got a mouth full of a high Velocity Grenade, which went through one Machine, and detonated when hitting the one behind it. He was leading a pair of M1 Astrays in an Assault, while Dearka was behind him, leading a pair of M1B's. As with this, Savir and the clones helped out the Astray girls giving a Barrage of energy fire on the enemy. As was the last battle, the advantage was to the Earth forces, with their sheer numbers.

* * *

Samorei knew this well, as he drew both sabers, and combined them, as the Justice did often with its own sabers. He made a beline for Banken, but was caught off guard as Wing came in to the machines left. The only thing that stopped him from being rammed, was the sudden cut in his thrusters, having Wing go past him from the front. But this almost proved fatal, as Voyager verted into its Mobile armor form, and the front part of it, opened wide with the four barrels hovering around the opened area. "What!?" he asked himself, as all of a sudden the Scylla fired, and the worst thing was, is that the beam bent in the direction that Nosferatu went. It brought up its energy claw, which doubled as a Anti Beam shield protecting him from the attack. 

Kira was facing a similar problem as he franticly dodged Plasma attacks from the Forbidden, while Athrun faced off against both Calamity who was riding Raider. Kira himself fired a pair of Plasma attacks at the Forbidden only to have them bend away from the enemy machine. With this however, he drew a lacerta beam saber, and made a beline for the Machine. However, before the Freedom got to close, its head was rammed by a foot of the Mobile suit form of the Wing. "Argh!" he called out.

"Kira!" Athrun called, as he tried to go for him, but was stopped as the Raider came diving without the Calamity with it. The reason was that Calamity was in the air, free falling towards the Justice. Its chest began to fire up, as itself fired its multiphase Beam cannon at him. Athrun dodged the attack but saw that the Raider was heading right for him, with both of its mobile armor claws emitting a pair of beams. He dodged it, but the Raider almost clipped the Calamity.

"Clotho! You idiot!" Orga yelled.

"Me the idiot? Your the idiot Orga!" he called, as the Raider turned around and turned into its mobile sit form. "Terminate!" Clotho yelled as his machines Zorn Mouth cannon opened fire. Athrun dodged it, but an unlucky dagger was caught in the blast.

As this happened, Samorei dodged a beam attack from Voyagers Rifle. But then the subflight unit disconnected from the Mobile suit, as came right for him, while Banken fired his beam rifle at the machine. The surprise however came from the subflight unit the Gunbarrels disconnnected firing each shot from the Machine at Samorei. "This machine is a lot tougher then the White Astray." he memoed to himself. However, he ignored Banken for a second as Sam had his Machine dive into the water.

"What?" Banken asked himself, but then he realized it.

A Proteus was under them, but was caught off guard as Nosferatu grabbed a hold of it. It used its Energy claw to absorb the energy from the Mobile Armor, to give some more energy to his own machine. However, before he left, he opened fire from the Igelstellungs onto the cockpit of the mobile suit. With this though, he grabbed a spear from his machines back, which was connected via toe cable. Banken was taken by surprise, as Samorei's machine arrived outside of the water, but no beams were fired, which Banken thought would happen as he deployed his Gunbarrel to deflect the beam, but instead one of the Barrels were pearced by a Phase Shift equipped Spear. Another similaritie the Nosferatu had with the Gold Frame Amatu. The Gunbarrel detonated but the Spear was brought back, to the hand that threw it. "You basterd." Banken notioned as he ignited a Beam saber, and came right towards the Jade Frame. In which an amethyst seed shattered in his mind.

Kira, has also been keeping busy with both Wing and Forbidden. Both not working together, but are doing better at doing so then Calamity and Raider, as Orga's machine fired from a ship it landed on, towards the Justice, while Raider tried to take it out with its spherical breaker. "Terminate!" Clotho yelled as he fired the weapon again. However Athrun dodged but did not stop there, as he took his double bladed Saber to slice the weapon in half, destroying Clotho's main melee weapon, only leaving his mobile armors Talons.

Kira though was not having so much luck, as his beam saber met with Wings, from a sky attack. But then the Forbidden scored a hit on Kira with his scythe, the only thing that saved Kira was his Phase Shift armor. But he was sure shakened up from the experience. Even though hit, he kept at it, however this time, he deployed his arsenal of weapons at the two machines. Wing dodged the attacks all together, while Forbidden deflected the Plasma cannon, but to the hit from the railgun. As far now though, the forces all saw this battle was a stale mate, but do to the numbers of the Earth Forces, this was not going to last that much longer.

* * *

Uzumi Nara Athha knew this well, and his own preparations were well underway when the tide began to turn. "We can't hold Onogoro much longer," a Cabinet member informed him. "Their forces are too strong." 

He sighed. "Yes, I know. We must buy time, however."

"Lord Uzumi," another official said, entering. "Preparations are complete. If we only had two more hours..."

"That's far too long," Athha said sharply. "Time is a luxury we no longer have." He sighed again. "Very well. I'll be there as well." He turned. "Signal the remaining forces to gather at Kaguya. We're abandoning Onogoro!"

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Before long, the message had reached the _Archangel_. "We're to fall back?" Ramius repeated incredulously. 

"Yes," Sai confirmed. "Representative Athha wants the _Archangel_ to retreat to Kaguya."

"Kaguya?" Neumann repeated.

"Kaguya is where Orb's mass driver facilities are located," Natarle pointed out. "They see that we are fighting a losing battle." she told them, no one wanted to admit it, but she was right.

The Captain finally nodded. "Very well. Signal our mobile suits to withdraw as well. Tell them to follow us." she ordered.

* * *

The Archangel's machines were busy fighting for their lives, but the ground forces began to fall back do to the call. "BANKEN!" Samorei called, as his eyes went wide and pupils dialated, and a muscle strain around the eyes could be seen, and with this, the eyes of his Machine went white. But rather then drawing his sabers, he drew both of his spears. He threw the both of them at the Voyager and then as soon as they left the hands, they drew the beam sabers from his machines shoulders. Banken was capable dodgeing both the spears, but was surprised as both of his machines arms were severed from the body as the Orb machine flew by him, heading to help out the others. 

Kira himself dodged a blast from Wings buster rifle, and then Forbiddens deflected version of it. But not for much longer, as the Forbidden met a new opponent. "Bastard, who are you?" Shani called as his Machine was forced back from the sheer power of the thrusters of the machine.

Sam then went out of his trance like state when he heard that voice. "No, it can not be. Shani!" Sam called out, as Shani new this voice.

"Samorei? What the hell are you doing here you bastard!?" he asked.

"_Samorei, we are to retreat at once."_ Mina's voice called out to him.

On the main ship that Azrael was on, took note of the conversation between Shani and Samorei. "So, is that him?" he asked himself, with a smirk. "So, the legendary White Devil, IS still alive. It seems the lost caused ship lied in its report about the death of him." he told them.

"Sir, it seems the power of our machines are getting low, and Banken's own Machine's weapons are mostly disabled." an officer told him.

"Tell them to continue on with the attack. Orb may have strong machines, but they are fighting for a lost cause." he told his bridge crew.

Samorei blocked Shani's scythe with his "Magashira-no-Hoko" Spear, having an even fight with the two no beam weapons. "Shani, what the hell are you doing with the Earth Forces!? And how are you so good compared to me?" he asked.

A pair of railguns from the Forbidden fired, knocking the two out of their stalemate. "First answer, trying to survive, Second, is the reason for my survival." he answered.

"_Shani._" Azrael radioed.

"What!?" Shani snapped back.

"_I want that machine, use anyway you wish, I just want that machines pilot!_" Azrael ordered.

"That voice." Samorei told himself, as he targeted the Forbidden, and fired his beamrifle, but the machine deflected the beams. "What the hell is going on here Shani!" he called out.

Shani's machine got ready for another charge at the Nosferatu. "Simple Sam, you want to know its this. . ." Shani began with taking a breath. "Doing what we do with Human nature, using the Will to survive, no matter how to do it! My will to survive is the only reason why I am still alive! Even after what those bastards did to me!"

Sam dodged the attack, as Kira was now facing with Athrun the three left machines. However, two groups were listening in on Sam's and Shani's conversation. Mina and Azrael, however the two did not know the other at the time. Shani fired a beam of Plasma at the Nosferatu, but the machine knocked it away with the shield. "But why do you fight for those bastards! When you know full well what they did to me!" he called out.

"Because if I don't, I will Die! I will not take that pain again!" he yelled, as Samorei was trying to figure out what he meant about such a thing. Orga, at that moment, was happily blasting at everything in sight... until his guns fizzled and his console beeped at him. "What? You stupid mobile suit! You're out of power _already?"_

"It's because you're firing all over the place, you idiot!" Clotho snorted. "If you're going back, you'll have to do it yourself, loser!"

Raider was suddenly distracted when the Justice Subflight unit rammed into him. "What the?" Clotho pulled back, shifting to mobile armor mode and racing away.

"_You're_ the idiot!" Orga said mockingly.

"Shut up, you-" The flame-haired pilot broke off as Calamity's weight slammed onto his machine. "Hey! Who said you could get on, freeloader?"

"Cut it out, idiot! We've gotta go back and recharge. Don't tell me you're not running on empty, too!"

With the retreat of the X100 and X300 frames, only the Forbidden was left. He triggered a plasma blast, guiding it with his magnetic field, at the Nosferatu. "Do you really think I'll disobey the only people who hold my life in their damn hands!" he told Samorei, as he fired another Plasma blast. Sam nimbley dodged the attack easily, flipped upside-down, and fired his hip mounted beam cannons, fully expecting them to be deflected by the X200 frame's infernal shields.

To his surprise, they weren't; the beams hit the Forbidden's subflight unit, startling the pilot, who glanced down at his displays. "What? No more...?" He glanced to his left, seeing his comrades fleeing.

"Shani, we need to retreat!" Orga called.

"No, I'm not done yet!" he called back.

"Do you want them to punish us again!" Clotho asked him, as Shani's eyes had fear within them, but with that, he retreated, and with that, all the invader machines took off, leaving Nosferatu, Freedom, and Justice flying at their location, as Samorei drained some energy from Freedom so he can get back to land. Kira did not care if he did, because he had plenty to spare.

* * *

Before long, Ramius, La Flaga, Neumann, Mina, Yzak and Dearka had met Athha and Cagalli in the control room at Kaguya; shortly they were joined by Kira, Athrun, and Samorei and the hurried conference began. Leave Orb...?" Ramius said, eyes wide, after Athha had explained his plan. "Lord Uzumi, are you telling us to just run away?" 

"Look around," the Representative advised. "We may be holding now, but Orb has already lost. It is only a matter of time now before it falls."

Cagalli looked at him sharply. "Wh-What are you saying, Father?"

"Our people have been evacuated; they will be taken care of at Ame-No-Mihashira." He turned his head toward her. "From now on, _we_ will bear the responsibility." Cagalli looked like she did not understand, while Samorei glared at Athha.

_'I hate to agree, but he is right, but this Argh!' _Sam told himself.

"The world is in a crisis," Athha told the _Archangel_'s captain. "The Atlantic Federation's actions are being guided by the head of Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael, now." At this Ramius nodded;"To make matters worse, the leader of ZAFT is someone who believes Coordinators to be a new species, for Patrick Zala rules them now."

Athrun's eyes dropped, and with that Kira, Dearka, and Yzak looked at him in concern. "Soon, the world will be caught between two sides that cannot tolerate each other's existence. Tell me, is this the future you wish to see? Take this small light of hope we have kindled, and use it to bring forth a better future, for us all. I realize this means a hard road for you again, but I'm sure you understand why it is necessary."

Ramius stood silently, absorbing it all, then looked at La Flaga. Her pilot boyfriend cocked his head, nodded, and smiled reassuringly.

She turned back to Uzumi. "That light may be small, but we believe in it as well. We will make it shine brightly."

Athha smiled. "I suggest you begin preparations immediately. We have little time."

"Yes, sir." The _Archangel_ officers filed out, followed shortly by the pilots (after Kira noticed an odd looked directed at him by Athha), and Cagalli.

Mina and Sam both left afterwards. "Is this all that we have left? Just a small light against the darkness?" Sam asked her.

"It seems we do Sam." She told him with concern in her voice. "Mind telling me of that pilot you spoke to at the end?"

Sam nodded. "I guess, I can, his name is Shani Adras, I met him after a week from when he witnessed his family slaughtered by a local gang." he told her. "I guess he went for revenge on the gang, and was trialed for Murder I heard. But now I don't know, just suddenly seeing him on the battlefield, and raising a scythe against me and the others." he said with a long face, looking down. "This war is far worst then I first thought when I awakened after the bloody Valentine." he told her.

Mina just nodded. "I agree." she told him. "But for now, our Machines are being loaded on the Archangel, we are to leave with them, to space." she added in.

Sam just shook his head, as he slammed a fist into the wall. "DAMN IT!!!" he yelled.

* * *

Before long, preparations had begun for the _Archangel_ and the Orb carrier _Kusanagi_ to launch. The _Archangel_, of course, was not quite like anything else in the Orb fleet, which could have caused problems with the boosters, but the _Kusanagi_ shared many design features with the rogue ship, and thus its spare plasma boosters could be used. Archangel was also loaded with Orb units. Two M1 Astrays were placed in it, belonging to Sam's clones, and Mina's own machine as well. The other clones went into the Kusanagi, along with several more M1's test pilots as well, a M1A and two M1B's one belonging to Ahmed. Well those are what was being assigned, but the ZAFT pilots stood outside with their machines next to the Archangel. 

Sam stood on the aft deck of the mobile assault carrier. He looked over the people working their asses off to get the preperations of sending the two ships to space, along with the hopes of Orb.

He looked down below, seeing the ZAFT pilots talking, with Kira. Around then, Kira stood with Athrun and Dearka near their mobile suits, parked next to the _Archangel._ "There's no reason Carpentaria wouldn't allow us back," Dearka was saying to Athrun. "After all, we _have_ been fighting against the Earth Forces."

"It wont be that easy Dearka. As far as ZAFT knows we are all deserters, and we have been helping the Leg ahh Archangel for the last few days!" Yzak told him.

"Maybe so," the -former?- ZAFT pilot conceded.

"I just hope our parents wont be held responsible for it." Yzak told them. He may be cold on appearance, but he cared about his family.

Athrun nodded absently, thinking of Lacus. "She called me a soldier of ZAFT," he murmured. "Huh. She knew all along what would happen."

Kira tilted his head. "Athrun...?"

"I always thought you were supposed to follow the orders of your nation and fight against the enemy with all your strength. I thought there was no other way of bringing the war to a quick end." Athrun met Kira's eyes. "But what are we really suppose to be fighting against, and how exactly are we supposed to do that?"Kira smiled.

"You should come with us, Athrun. Each of you should be coming with us." He looked from Athrun to Dearka to Yzak and back. "We'll look for the answer to your question... together."

* * *

All those remaining at Kaguya knew it would not be long before the Earth Forces resumed their attack; thus it came as no surprise when the enemy-detection specialist called out a warning. "Incoming heat sources, identified as mobile suits!" 

"We knew it couldn't last," Athha whispered. "Ms. Ramius, please hurry up with the preparations!"

_"Preparations complete,"_ she answered from the_ Archangel. "We'll launch immediately. Kira?"_

Strapping into the Freedom's cockpit, Kira keyed his radio. "I'll cover your launch, _Archangel_. Please, hurry up. What about the _Kusanagi_?"

_"They're launching next,"_ Athha informed him.

To his left, Athrun powered up his Justice and keyed his own radio. "This is gonna be an aerial fight; the Buster's not equipped for it. Board the _Archangel,_ Dearka!"

Samorei keyed his own radio strapping into his machine. "You as well Yzak. I'll be connected to the hull of the Kusanagi, I'll provide Freedom and Justice some cover fire." Samorei told them.

Dearka clenched his teeth, but for the first time in living memory, it was not because of _who_was giving him orders. It was just that the orders, however correct, weren't ones he wanted to hear just then. But he did it anyway.

Yzak grimaced, but he knew his brother was right, the Duel now more then ever had no way of flight, especially with the Delta pack not ready. Samorei keyed his radio again. "Banken will not be in this battle, his machine was to damaged to fly again today." he told them.

With the Buster and Duel now aboard, Ramius looked over at Neumann. "Fire engines; once we're aloft, set them to maximum cruising speed and raise bow pitch angle twenty degrees.

Natarle began her own orders. "Charge the Lohengrin and prepare to fire on my command." she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

Slowly, the _Archangel_began to lift from the ground, taking to the sky on its way back into space. As her majestic bow pointed skyward, her engines fired at full capacity, propelling ship ever higher, approaching the altitude at which she would begin the next phase of her launch. 

Athrun was the first to notice the incoming threat. "Here they come, Kira! Its those four machines." he told him.

The Freedom, looking down at Kaguya, As the Nosferatu went in, to get to its position, and activated its radio. "Please, hurry up with the launch!"

* * *

Preparations redoubled on the ground, and Natarle gave the order on the Bridge. "Fire!" The _Archangel_'s mighty Lohengrin positron cannons fired for the first time since their frantic escape from ZAFT at Alaska, nearly a month ago. And the two beams intersected hundreds of meters beyond the ship... and so created the positronic interference effect that would help the ship attain escape velocity, even as the plasma boosters ignited. 

Kisaka was waiting at the _Kusanagi_'s airlock, and Athha shoved Cagalli toward him. "Go, Kisaka! And take my foolish daughter with you!"

"Father, no!" she protested, tears in her eyes. Athha laid a hand on his daughter's head. "Stop giving me that look," he said gently. "It doesn't suit a child of the lion of Orb." He removed the hand, and reached into a pocket. "You may be leaving your father, but remember Cagalli you will not be alone." He handed her the photograph he withdrew. "Remember, you will be with your brother, and people who care about you, just as much as I do."

Before she could get out a word, though, he stepped back. "I consider it a great honor... to have been your father." The hatch sealed between them, and the walkway Athha stood upon began to retract. "Fly, Kisaka!" he shouted after them. "I'm counting on you!"

The _Kusanagi_ began to slowly accelerate on the mass driver's rails as the Nosferatu landed on the top of it. "No Father!!!" Cagalli yelled, as the ship raced down the Mass Driver rail. The Freedom and Justice abandoned the fight, turning their backs on Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider as they raced to catch up with the racing spaceship. It was their ticket into space, the only way for them to achieve escape velocity.

* * *

Samorei's machine locked its electromagnetic cannon got ready to fire, as the four machines were chasing down the two ZAFT made gundams. They were under fire, as Kira Grunted, as he threw the Freedom's hand forward, successfully grabbing hold of the Kusanagi's hull. After pulling himself aboard, he extended his hand to the Justice, still struggling to catch up with the still-accelerating ship. 

Athrun began to fall back, and they both yelled wordlessly as he shunted all available power, even life support, into his verniers. Slowly, slowly, the Justice gained ground, and finally the two machines locked hands. Kira pulled his friend onto the ship, exchanged relieved looks with Athrun over the com. "Game Over!" Samorei yelled, as instead of just his main cannons, his beam rifle shot up, and beam cannons went into position. All the beams fired at once towards the water infront of the machines.

Back at Kaguya, Uzumi Nara Athha saw the _Kusanagi_heading safely into space. "The seeds have flown. We've succeeded!" he told his fellow Cabinet members. Then he reached down, turned a dial, and pressed a red button. "We can't leave Orb, or this world, in the hands of those monsters..."

Azrael's eyes snapped wide in horror and frustration as the mass driver and Morgenroete began to explode, taking with them everything he had come here to obtain. "No!" was all he could say, as the occupants of the Izumo class battleship looked down below, as they watched Orb's Morgenrete, and Mass Driver explode below, as this happened, many emotions were felt.

Hatred, Betrayal, and above all sadness in seeing their home taken by the Earth Forces. "Is this truly Orbs fate now?" Samorei asked himself as the Kusanagi began to break atmosphere.

* * *

A/N: Wow 3 chapters in the last week, I hope you guys like this chapter. The fall of Orb has happened, and there seemed to be a connection between Sam, and Shani, could this lead to more death, or Salvation. Next chapter, A moments Rest. 


	30. Chapter 30: Is it Heaven?

Chapter 30: Is it Heaven?

* * *

The dark vastness of space, made people who went for their first time to space, just how small they were compared to what is beyond their planet. Two powerful ships floated in place, as the Archangel made its first return to space, from as months ago, it fought in the area. The last was the destruction of their friends of the eighth fleet. M1 Astrays, and M1B Astrays flew around the two ships, taking the parts that Kusanagi lended the Archangel for exiting the atmosphere. Now the compartments are detached, and are being placed together on the ship itself. Sam was helping out, using his machine for once that has nothing to do with combat. It also felt different again that he was in zero gravity, now not having to use so much power to move, like it did in atmosphere.

* * *

Kira, and Athrun personally docked inside the Kusanagi, they knew that a Friend, and sister would be heart broken right now. Ahmed could be seen waiting outside Cagalli's door. Athrun wore a Morgenrete uniform, while Kira wore his Orb uniform, something he got accustomed to, while Ahmed, wore the same as Kira but at the rank of Orbs Ensign. "How is she?" Kira asked him as Ahmed shook his head.

"Shooken up, her father just made a noble sacrifice so she can lead for a better future." he told them, with his arms crossed floating with his back to the wall. He has yet to actually get use to zero gravity, but he has gotten use to be able to float to this area and rest against the wall.

"This your first time off Earth?" Athrun asked him, as Ahmed just nodded.

"Yeah, I'm still a bit iffy, especially when or if I have to fly my M1B." he told them, still proud that he is even flying a mobile suit. "Well, I think you two should talk to her, you two are the closest people to her." he told them, taking off. Kira and Athrun went in, but he was not to far away. Waiting that, if he needed to go help, he would.

At last, Kira pressed an intercom button next to the hatch controls. "Cagalli?" There was no answer, so he opened the hatch and entered anyway.

Cagalli was seated on her bunk, still in uniform; tears were in her eyes, and she did not look up as Kira and Athrun entered the room, with Ahmed not far to hear them.

"Cagalli..." Kira said again; and this time she took note of it. She looked up at him silently, then pushed off toward him, burying her face in his chest as she sobbed.

Not knowing what to say, Kira simply put an arm around her, his other hand lightly stroking her hair. Ahmed heard of their relation and was relieved during that time, but he yearned to be the one she cried on. He slammed his fist on the wall, and took off away from them.

* * *

Elsewhere aboard the Orb carrier, Ramius, Natarle, La Flaga, and Mina Sahaku had arrived and were following Ledonir Kisaka, _Kusanagi_'s CO and, at least formerly, Cagalli's bodyguard, And the head pilot of the M1 core toward the ship's Bridge.

"I see," La Flaga said appreciatively, drifting down the corridor. "The ship consists of five sections, and the crew travels between them via the central area. Very efficient."

Mina just smirked. "Orbs finest in the craft of making ships." She told them with a smirk. "There are a good amount of these, 4 of them."

"Four of these? Why only that much?" Natarle asked her.

Kisaka just continued walking. "The Kusanagi is the ship of the Athha's." he answered her. "A total of four, one for each of Orb Noble Families, includeing Mina's." he told them.

"You have your own?" Mu asked her, as Mina just nodded.

"Ours is the original, the Izumo. Ghina has it right now, so it is likeley at our Destination." she told them.

"Oh right, forgot about that." Mu said a bit of forgetting the Izumo taking off before the battle.

Kisaka nodded. "The Kusanagi and Izumo were originally used to maintain contact with Heliopolis. It's fairly well-armed, and I suppose it's a capable enough mobile suit transport, but it's nowhere near _Archangel_'s league."

They came through a hatch onto the Bridge, and Murrue raised her eyebrows; it looked very familiar. "This is just like the _Archangel_'s."

Kisaka halted next to the fire control/ communications stations. "Or more accurately, the _Archangel_'s is just like this," he said with a smile, reminding them that the _Izumo_-class came first. "After all, they were both built by Morgenrete." He looked down at one of the stations toward the starboard bow. "Can you bring me up a map of this region of space?. It be wise to start planning after we leave Ame No Mihashira." he told the woman sitting there.

"Coming right up," the woman in the Morgenroete uniform answered.

La Flaga raised an eyebrow. "Chief Erica Simmons; fancy meeting you here."

"Nice to see you too, Commander," Simmons replied with a smile. "You're using M1 type Mobile suits in the unfamiliar environment of space. How would you guys ever manage without me?" She tapped keys, bringing up the desired map.

* * *

Deeper in the ship, Cagalli floated in a curtained-off alcove, drying her face with a towel. As she did so, she noticed the photograph her father had given her drifting past, and she caught it, examining it of her true mother, with her and Kira in her arms. On the back it was written, "Kira and Cagalli, my little angels." she said, as Ahmed peared in. "I know your there Ahmed." she said as Ahmed blushed and came in.

"Cagalli, are you alright?" he asked walking in, as she nodded.

She turned to him. "You have been outside my door since we reached orbit haven't you?" she asked him.

"Yeah." he told her. "I lost my father as well, so I was thinking that I'd be a good person to well for you to talk to." he admitted, as he took note of the pendant she wore, of that he once gave her. "I see you are. . ." he said pointing at the pendant.

She nodded, "Yeah, I have been wearing it ever since you gave it to me." she told him, as he came closer.

"Cagalli? Are you okay?" Kira called softly from outside the room.

"I'm fine Kira." she called, as she looked at Ahmed once again. "Ahmed, thank you, for being here for me." she told him, brushing past him, but as she was about to past, she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, for everything you have done for me, to allow us to be at this part." she told him, as he was shocked, but he put his arms around her.

"There is no problem Cagalli." he told her, as they broke the embrace, and she grabbed her true mothers photo and placed it, into her pocket.

* * *

A week passed, as the two ships made their way to the space station Ame-No-Mihashira, The space station was large, however small compared to the PLANTs and what Artemis was. "So, this is it." Yzak said, looking through the port window of the Archangel. Samorei nodded, as he looked over the station.

"The Legacy of the Sahaku's." he told his brother. They saw that several M1's, but blue in color, they were the space variant of the M1 Astrays, which were coded as the M1A.

The station indeed look massive, and a strange shield seemed to be around it. "Hey isn't that?" Yzak asked as Sam nodded.

"The Umbrella of Artemis, the Lightwave Shield." he told him. "Mina should be talking with them now, and those M1A's are actually coming to guide us in." Sam explained.

Yzak shook his head. "It seems that this Neutrality was more nonsense then I expected." he commented as all Sam did was smirk.

"This is just something that is wise to have Yzak." he explained again. "If we don't have a defence, we wont survive an attack." he accounted Yzak. "It is also where the Duel will be upgraded with its new shroud." he added in.

"I see." he said leaving. "I'm going to the Duel." he pointed out, as he left into the halls of the Archangel.

* * *

On the bridge, Arnold Neuman was guideing the Archangel into the ship hangar of the fortress. Mobile suits were lined up on both sides, for quick departure to defend if the shield is penetrated. However, one thing was missing from the hangar, which puzzled Mina. The Izumo was not in the area, however space shuttles of Orb civlians were in the area. Both the Archangel and Kusanagi docked in the hangar as connecting bridges extended to their hatches for depressureization. Murrue sighed some relief. "Attention crew of the Archangel, if you wish to have some R and R, please do so, Ame-No-Mihashira is an Orb station, and a possible chance, your families are in the area." she told them.

Mina just smiled at such a thing. The Kusanagi had the same thing happen with them, as their ships hatch was connected to the superstructure of the base. Both crews walked into the halls of pearl white metal. The only thing that was dark, was the shadows. "Lady Sahaku, it is good to see you are alive." a soldier told her, as Mina came in. "We thought the worst when we heard that Orb was overruned." he told her.

She just nodded. "We are fine, please tell me, where is my brother?" she asked him.

He took a moment to think and then answered her. "Your brother mam, left with the Izumo on what he called Business with someone. He did not give any details, other then that it will help further what Orb needs." he told her.

"I see. Also please, give the crews of the Kusanagi, and Archangel some good accomadations." she told him.

"Yes mam." he told her. He went over to the crew of the Archangel and Kusanagi. "Please, may all of you follow me, to your accomadations." he told them, as they left, and Samorei stayed with Mina.

"Any idea of what your brother is up to?" he asked her, when they were left alone, as she began to start walking towards the office district of the station.

Samorei Followed her as they went. "I have no Idea. His ambitions have eluded me many times." she answered him. "I'm not really trusting him anymore, with Uzumi's death, the head of Orb is now Cagalli, even though she and I have been rivals for years." she continued. "But after being with her, through so much now, we have begun to tolerate each other, and actually are concerned of our Wellfare." she continued.

Sam just nodded, as they came to the elevator that would take them up. "If I know Ghina he plans farther ahead of time, then anyone, he used the Earth Forces to create the prototype Astray units, and now we have the M1, M1As, and the M1Bs thanks to them, along with Nosferatu, and AMATU." he contemplated. "And secretly the White Frame."

Mina nodded. "Yes, and as that pilot had attacked you on more then one occassion, things are getting weird." she admitted. The elevator stopped on the floor, as they walked foreward to two gray doors which slid open as they walked close, which lead to an office. It was barren, as neither of the Sahaku's were there, as Mina took the seat behind the desk, as she began to think of what they should start doing. "We should start getting your brothers Machine ready, along with resupplying the two ships." she told him as Sam nodded.

"Those would be wise to do." he accepted what she was saying.

"Mina to the maintenance chief" she said into the intercom on the desk.

"_Captain Pierce here, what is it lady Sahaku."_ A voice replied to her, as she nodded.

"I have some things to ask of you to do, with the ships that arrived today." she told him, as the person on the screen nodded. "Well, I would like the GAT-X102 Duel to be taken from the ship, and outfitted with the Delta Shroud that has been sent here a two weeks ago." she told him, as he nodded with that. "Also, please, resupply both ships with food and water." she added in.

* * *

Meanwhile, Murrue and Natarle entered into a room, it was not anything flashy, it was like a hotel room for civilians. "Well now, this is a nice little place." Natarle said looking around, as she removed the Orb uniform, to only a black tank top as she threw it onto one of the two beds.

She opened the door to the bathroom and went in, as Murrue sat down on the bed, which she felt it was far more comfortable then the Archangel's crew quarters, but they were ment to have you wake up at a moments notice. She layed, as she could hear the shower going, however, she partially missed flying on the Archangel.

"Natarle, I'm going for a walk." Murrue called into the bathroom. "And remember, try to relax." she told her, as she left the room.

* * *

In another hall, Mir had the same idea as Natarle, however, she done so ahead of time, as she came out of the shower, her hair still dripping as she had a towel draped around her, and a second one, drying her hair. There was a knock at her door however. "Who is it?" Mir called out, as she walked out.

"Your favourite pilot." The voice was returned to her. She kept her door chained as she opened it, however it only went so far.

"Tolle!" she said surprised to see him on the other side, as he wore an Orb uniform. "What are you doing here, I thought you went on the Izumo." she said with surprise.

Tolle shrugged. "For some reason, Lord Sahaku gave me the time off." He answered her. "Mind if I come in?" he asked.

"Just wait here a bit ok, I just got out of the shower." She told him, which Tolle just nodded, and she closed the door, heading to do what she said.

* * *

Dearka, Athrun, and Yzak explored the Station. They were from the PLANTs, and this was nothing like the place, it was more of a Military Stronghold. "I wonder if Nicol is here, Mina said he was." Athrun wondered as he went by a window showing space, and in the far distance, the Moon could be seen, as it was that time of Month that the station could see it.

"If only we know where he was stationed." Dearka pointed out, as the three continued to walk the hall.

"It'd be better if we had a guide, because, it seems we are well. . . lost." Athrun pointed out, as Dearka's shoulders slumped over.

"Ahh man, you're right." he moaned, as Yzak just continued.

"Well, we wont learn how to travel through here, just by standing around." He told them, continuing to walk forward. "We live in the PLANTs, it should be easy for us to find our way around here." Yzak continued, as the three pilots continued.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kira sat at the space observation station. For a neutral nation, the station had more weapons then Orb itself. Let alone its own Mobile Weapon factory, but his most concern was the promise he made to Lacus and Athrun about the Neutron Jammer. So before he left the ship, he pulled the same trick as back at Artemis, but this time with the Freedom rather then the Strike. Something about this place to him, seemed weird, just that, there was just something not right. "So, no break for you?" Mu asked, as Kira turned a bit startled, but he saw the Hawk standing there.

"Oh Mu, what is it?" he asked, as Mu just shrugged.

"I don't know, but likley just like you, I have a strange feeling about this." Mu answered, with another shrug. "Y'know, it was a smart Idea for you to do that to the Freedom. Sure they have most of the specs for weapons and other systems thanks to Sam. But they don't have the power system." he continued.

Kira just nodded at that. "Yeah, besides Mina and Sam, I don't trust anyone on this station."

"You and me both kid." Mu told him walking over to the viewport. Straight ahead of them, was the Archangel, and the Kusanagi, while to their left, was the blue planet. "Its strange." Mu began catching Kira's attention. "The Planet, during War you never actually think on how beautiful it really is." he told Kira, as he did. He looked down on the cloud formations, and even a spinning cloud indicating the beginning of a Hurricane. "Besides the ones that work with the Atlantic Federation, look down on the Planet and just think, 'that is what I am protecting.'" he told him.

All Kira did was nod in agreement. As behind them, Samuru was standing behind them, with a snug smile on his face. "And that Kira, is just what me and the others saw during our first day of life." he commented, and then turning to leave down the corridor he came from.

* * *

Ahmed walked down the halls, he was to escort Cagalli, to Mina's office, and all in his mind he was like. 'This is going be tough, I have no idea where Cagalli's room is, or even where this office is located.' He mused to himself as he walked down the civilian corridors. He saw children on the floor, crying, he did not blame them, they did just lose their home. He knew what was going through there minds, Revenge, lust for blood of the Earth Forces. Something that he himself felt when Tasil was burnt to the ground. Until satisfaction of their minds, this lust will never fade away, even though they are being treated well by the people in the station. He made it through the crowded corridor to a more open one, and continued to walk down. He knew that those civilians would not want to talk yet, just to let their tears do what they can do. He thought of his own home, and how his mother was doing, until he found Cagalli. "Cagalli!" he called running up.

She turned, to see Ahmed running up to her. "Ahmed, what is it?" she asked, as he stopped a few feet in front of her.

She caught his breath, from the short burst of speed. "We are to go to Lady Sahaku's office, she wishes to meet with you." he told her, as Cagalli just nodded.

"Alright, very well." Cagalli told him. "I myself haven't been here often, so it would be wise we asked someone." she told him, as they began to walk down the hall. Cagalli, even though her appearance said she has gotten over it, but within she felt the hurt the wound in her country. Ahmed noticed this, and took note, that Cagalli, is a stronger girl then when he first layed eyes on her, back in Tasil.

As they walked, a small group of doctors were pushing a hospital stretcher, however on it, was a human body, covered with the sheet. Cagalli looked at it, and thought of the soldiers that have lost their lives, in the past month, for a common cause. However, an arm fell from underneath the sheet, to dangle on the side they were on, Ahmed was a bit freaked out by it. He has seen the dead before, but never seen an arm fall from the stretcher. The two teens saw however, a distinctive marking on the corpse's arm, was a talon of a Vulture. The ones that were pushing the stretcher, continued on, not even speaking to the two. "Weird." Cagalli said watching them continue on. But with that, she and Ahmed just continued on their way.

* * *

As with this, the lost ZAFT pilots, finally found their way to the mobile suit factory, it was rather different then the place that created the regular M1's, and ZAFTs mobile suits, that they have seen during their time in the Academy. "Just whoa." Was all Dearka could get out, as he saw the place, placing an arm onto a M1 A. They also saw the Duel not far from it, with Mechanics swarming it, putting the machine together.

"Well, well, I can't believe my eyes." Came a familiar voice to the three of them, behind them. They turned, to see the former pilot of the Blitz Gundam, standing behind them, alive and well, wearing an Orb uniform.

"Nicol!" The three pilots said in unision, as they saw a face they thought was dead.

All Nicol did was just smile. "Well, it has been a while hasn't it?" Nicol asked them, as all of a sudden, Athrun gave his friend an embrace. "Whoa easy Athrun." Nicol said, as the other two pilots came over. Dearka put Nicol in a head lock, and made a fist, and rubbed it, on the top of his friends head.

"You little punk." Was all Dearka told him. "You gave us a scare." he added in.

"For someone to escape Death's grip, I wont be calling you a coward again." Yzak told him, as the only one that did grab a hold of the green haired pilot.

"Yeah, however, this means something else. Come on, I have to go tell you guys something." He told them, as Yzak looked one more time at the Duel, which was having two missile pods being placed on both of the shoulders.

* * *

Meanwhile PLANTs:

Patrick Zala, now leader of the **P**roductive **L**ocation **A**lly on **N**exus **T**echnology. His first action, upon when the ZGMF-X10A was stolen by a spy, Lacus Clyne, her family, and Allenby Hahenfuss also declared a traitor. Because of this, each of them, have gone into hiding, and the last of the new machines, have been split up. Salvation is located on the Eternal, Testament has been moved to an unknown location, while it Regenerate was sent to the same spot, and the Providence, is placed in the last line of the PLANT defences. So if anything that can be stolen at this time, would be Salvation.

During this time, Lacus Clyne, has been protesting the war, and Patrick Zala's rule over pirated radio signals. In what seemed like a little home, Siegel Clyne, knew that Patrick, has declared a PLANT wide search. Behind him, were two men carrying standard ZAFT military machine guns. He and Lacus had a small handful of them within their little group. "Mr. Clyne, the searches nearby are getting to much, we should move before they arrive." a soldier told him, as Siegel shook his head.

"No, we can't run anymore. We are running out of places to hide. And as long as they are after me, my daughter will have a better chance of survival." Siegel told him, as he tapped something into his computer, and a signal was sent.

* * *

Down on Earth, the Wing was being loaded onto a Transport, as its pilot was doing the moving. A pair of peruaisian blue eyes, looked at his communications. He was a merc, so it would not be much for someone to know his private channel. He hit the communications. "Yeah?" he asked, sitting down.

"_I am glad I could reach you._" Siegel Clynes face came on the screen with calm look upon it. "_I have a propostion for you._" he told him, as the pilot quirked his brown eyebrows, which matched his hair color. "_I wish for you to protect my daughter." _Siegel told him, as he brought up a picture of Lacus. "_Her name is Lacus."_ he told the pilot.

"I see, and how much are you willing to pay?" The pilot asked him.

"I am sending the amount into your account now." Siegel told him, and in moments the money was in the account. "All I wish is for you to protect her, and to give her this message I am sending now." he added in, as a download in progress began on the computer. That was when the sound of a door busting open behind Siegel, and within moments gunfire could be heard. "Please, Heero! Protect my daught. . . Ahhh!" Siegel called out, as blood appeared on Heero's Screen, just as the download ended. With this, Heero disconnected from the connection so he could not be traced, to Victoria, where the Earth Forces took the place, for its Mass Driver.

Heero turned his communication off, as he nodded. "Mission Accepted." Was all he said of it, as he had his Wing Gundam continue walking towards the Transport, that was going to take both the Wing, and Voyager to space, to be placed on a new ship.

* * *

At Ame-No-Mihashira, The Prime representatives of the two ships, and their Gundam Pilots, were in the main Office, of the space station. They were just about, to begin the discussion, on where to head next after they take flight. It has been a week since they arrived, and think they should be heading out because of this. I suggest we set course for the L4 colonies," Kisaka said, indicating them on the display.

"L4?" La Flaga repeated.

"Neither the _Archangel_ nor the _Kusanagi _will need to worry about supplies for awhile, but it won't last forever," the bigger man pointed out. "Water in particular will be the main problem, but if we go there, we can use its rescources. The colonies were damaged and abandoned soon after the war began, but they'll serve admirably for water supplies."

"That sounds awfully familiar," Ramius said, remembering the _last_ time they'd gone scavenging for supplies.

"Don't worry," La Flaga said reassuringly. "This is different from Junius Seven."

"Far better." Samorei pointed out, remembering that place, that to him, he sees that he failed to protect back then.

Athrun looked at the map, as he remembered reports on the place in question. "You know," he began, "I'm pretty sure some of the colonies at L4 are still viable." When all eyes turned to him, he shrugged. "ZAFT investigated the area after receiving reports of a suspicious group holed up there. This _was_ quite a long time ago, but while no one really lives there anymore, there _should_ still be functioning facilities on some of the colonies."

"That sounds perfect for us," Kira said after a moment's consideration.

"Yes..." La Flaga said slowly, voice ambivalent. The reason became clear when he turned to look directly at Athrun, Dearka, and Yzak. "But there's one question: are _you three _okay with this?" His blue eyes narrowed at the three pilots he has fought for a while. Nicol was not among them, as he was charged with supervision of the Duel's upgrade.

"Commander?" Ramius inquired, wondering where this was going.

"I saw how you three fought in Orb, and your actions speak for themselves," the pilot granted. "But I can't help noticing the uniforms you're still wearing." he told them, as even though they wore Morgenrete gear, they still wore ZAFT pilot uniforms when flying. "Don't get me wrong, but depending on how things turn out there's a good chance we'll end up fighting against ZAFT forces. It won't be like Orb at all." His eyes locked on Athrun's. "Are you ready? _Really_ ready? After all, you _are_ Patrick Zala's son, right?" he asked.

"What does it matter to _you _whose son he is?" Cagalli snapped earning looks from everyone. "Athrun is his-" she began.

"For a soldier to desert his army is a much more serious matter than you seem to think," La Flaga told her harshly. "Unlike Kira, he's a regular member of the ZAFT military! Samorei is suppose to be dead, as is your other friend. But remember You have to believe in your nation's cause in order to fight for it, and it's much more complicated when you turn that belief on its head. Now imagine if your father were the _leader_ of that nation." His jaw set, and he stared right at Athrun. "I hate to force the issue, but can I count on you if we fight together? Well? _Can I?"_

Silence, blanketed the room. "Does it matter anymore?" Yzak began to tell them. "We made the choice to help you sorry group of people who had their nation turn on them. But we turned on our Nation, to help others." Yzak told him, as Athrun turned to him.

"Even before that, in the PLANTs and on Earth, I thought about a lot things, like what it is right and what is wrong, what am I understanding, and what am I not. I don't have the answers to these basic questions yet... but I can already tell that all of you have the same hopes for this world that I do." He met La Flaga's eyes levelly. "And that's what I'm feeling right now." Athrun added in.

"It doesn't really matter anymore." Mina told them. "What is important, is that we are in it together now, we may fight ZAFT, Earth Forces, and even a possible chance, of Orb soldiers, who are mad of what choices we had made." Mina began with her voice lowering at the end of it.

Mu, just had a smirk at that, and looked at the three ZAFT pilots. "You three sound like a pretty determined group; nothing like our Kira here." he joked.

Kira looked startled for a moment, then looked back at Athrun with a smile of his own. "Since Athrun and I were little it has been like that."

"You know, it's a huge responsibility Orb has entrusted us with," Mu said thoughtfully.

"Yes, it is," Ramius agreed.

"And we're only two ships, a lone Space Station; honestly, our task may be impossible." He looked at Athrun again. "And you're still okay with this?"

Kira was the one who replied. "A strong light may be small, but it won't go out. We have faith."

There was general agreement on that; and Athrun looked thoughtful. "You know, there are those in the PLANTs who feel the same way."

"Lacus?" Kira guessed.

"Yeah."

"That singer," La Flaga mused. "The pink princess."

"She's Athrun's fiancé," Kira commented; the news surprised Cagalli, who hadn't heard it before.

"They're hunting for her right now," Athrun said moodily. "She was declared a traitor... by my father."

"Hope she's okay," Mu said sympathetically.

"If one thing I learned of Lacus." Sam began, with his arms crossed. "Is that; that girl is stronger then what her looks say." And Mina took a seat at her chair.

"Well, the ships are ready to leave, when you are all ready." Mina told the group.

"Will you be joining us?" Dearka asked her, as Mina shook her head no.

"No, my place is here, for now. The Civilians need to be protected." she added in.

"I wont be either, however Saxen, and Azure, will be joining you with standard M1's." Samorei told them, as he walked on over. "Yzak's Duel, is being loaded onto the Archangel now, as well." He added in.

"Alright." Murrue told them, as she turned to Mina. "We thank you, for everything Mina." She told the black haired noble.

"Yes, it was rather, relaxing for a change." Natarle commented.

"You are welcome to stay a while longer." Mina told them, as Murrue shook her head.

"Likley we will be hunted by both sides, do to the Freedom and Justice from ZAFT." Mu told them, as Kisaka nodded.

"While the Archangel itself is a renegade ship." he added in.

"So we would not want to put the civilians in any more danger." Cagalli finished for them.

Mina nodded, in understanding. "Yes of course, but remember, return for when you need to." she told them. "Now, until you decide to leave, tell me, so I can inform your crew." With that, the meeting ended, as the two ship crews filed out of the office room.

As the last one left, and the door closed, Sam turned away from the door, to look at Mina. "Why did we not say anything about the events on Earth?" Sam asked her, almost truly serious now, compared to his regular attitude.

Mina shook her head, as Sam saw a tear stream down the side of her face. "One reason, is because of a mobile suit I heard that took part in the battle." she proclaimed. Sam's eyebrow raised a little bit. "The MBF-P01 took part. . ." she told him, as Sam looked surprised. "And it wasn't helping the ZAFT soldiers, no, the AMATU. . ." she continued taking another Breathe. "No, the Amatu, was helping the attackers of Orb." she finished, as Sam could not believe his ears.

To him, Rondo Ghina Sahaku, was a personal friend, and now to him. . . a traitor.

* * *

A/N: The Archangel, and Kusanagi are on Ame-No-Mihashira. Siegel Clyne has died, but leaving a message with a Mercenary, of the name Heero, pilot of the Wing Gundam. And now, Victoria has been taken, and one of the major contributers, was the MBF-P01-Re-AMATU Gold Frame Amatu. Next time, Voyage 


	31. Chapter 31: Voyage

Chapter 31: Voyage

* * *

Five days has passed, since the meeting the two ships head members contemplated on what to do next. In the Archangel, two mobile suits, were removed, and replaced with M1A Astrays, which resembled the original G-Weapons, would work well in the ship, as it was designed to support the original machines. Within it, there were Freedom, Justice, Buster, Strike, Duel Delta Shroud (DDS), Two M1A's, and Azures lone M1.

* * *

In the Kusanagi, there were two empty spaces, for when Freedom and Justice came to visit, however other then that, there were three M1Bs, one M1A, and then seven M1 Astrays, used by Saxen, and the Astray Girls. Currently, both Freedom and the Justice were on the Kusanagi, with Murrue, and Mu came with a shuttle. Natarle was left to finish the preperations on the Archangel. Athrun floated in the observation room overlooking the _Kusanagi_'s hanger/ launch area. Seeing the bustle of activity without really looking at it, his mind replayed a few moments at Kaguya's mass driver facilities. 

_"The Earth Forces' current actions are being guided by the leader of Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael," Lord Uzumi said. "To make matters worse, the PLANTs are being led by someone who believes Coordinators are a new species, for Patrick Zala rules them now."_

The words echoed in his head, over and over, as he remembered the other things he'd seen recently, in the PLANTs and elsewhere. His father, very much a changed man; Yuri Amalfi, Nicol's father, now more interested in vengeance than peace; the N-jammer cancellers that allowed nuclear power; and Lacus Clyne's biting, challenging words at the White Symphony theater, in Junius Five...

"Athrun?" Athrun looked up, to see Kira in full pilots gear.

"It looks like things are all settled here now, so we should probably head back to the _Archangel_." Kira shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, but this ship is full of Astray type mobile suits." and we was right. As two more Astrays were going to enter, as both ZGMF machines were to be stationed on the Archangel.

However, Athrun was quiet, as Cagalli, and Ahmed came through a doorway not far from where the two friends stood. Kira," she began quietly, "we should talk."

Athrun began to head for the hatch. "Excuse me; I'll see you guys later..."

She caught his arm on her way over to Kira. "Athrun, wait. Stay here, okay?" Leaving the Coordinator with a puzzled expression, Cagalli caught herself on the pole Kira held onto.

He looked at her in concern. "Something bothering you, Cagalli?" Kira asked, as Athrun and Ahmed drifted to either side of the princess.

She hesitated, then reached into her pocket. "It's this," Cagalli said, and handed him the photo.

Kira took it, puzzled. "A photo? Of who?"

"Of, us, and our real mother." She told him, as he flipped it over, seeing the text on the back. He turned it back over, to see the woman holding the children, and knew it was not Caridad, or Cagalli's adoptive mother. It was infact a woman, they never even saw before till Cagalli, got the picture from her father. "My father gave it to me, just as I was boarding the _Kusanagi,_" Cagalli told him.

"Yeah, we already knew were were twins, but. . ." Kira began.

"But doesn't this get you to wonder, who our real mother is, or if she is even alive?" She asked him. She unconsciously gripped Ahmed's arm, clinging to a measure of familiarity, comfort, and security. "What does it all mean?" she added in. "Our families hid such secrets from us, what if there are more then what they told?" she continued.

"I-I don't know," Kira managed. "I honestly don't have a clue." he told her. "Don't worry so much, Cagalli," Kira said at last. "Even if it's true, it doesn't change the fact that Lord Uzumi was still... _your father._"

There was only silence in the room, as Cagalli leaned against Ahmed, and pondered Kira's words.

* * *

Later, as Cagalli and Ahmed watched from the observation room, the Freedom, and the Justice prepared for launch, on their way back to the _Archangel_. And the two ships beginning their own launch from the Hangar of the station. The two ships, were in space, as the Station was behind them, getting ever smaller. Even as he went through his preflight, Athrun looked up at the comm screen linked to the Freedom. "Kira," he said quietly, "don't you think you should be with her at a time like this?" 

Kira was silent for a few moments. "No," he said finally. "If I'm with her, she won't be able to stop thinking about it."

Athrun nodded. "Makes sense." he confirmed, as the two machines made their way to the Legged Ship. He looked up as the Justice's hand reached out to grip Freedom's shoulder. "Hey, Kira," Athrun began, as Kira looked up to his com window. "Do you think they'd let me borrow the _Archangel_'s shuttle when we get back? I need to make a little trip, to the PLANTs. I feel like I need to sit down and have a serious talk with my father."

"But, Athrun," Kira protested.

"I know! But still... he's _my father._"

The Freedom's pilot finally nodded. "I understand. I'll talk to Murrue and the others."

Athrun smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

* * *

With that, the two landed on the Archangel, as the two ships, went towards their destination of the L4 Colonies. However unknown to them, the Izumo was heading out, and detected the Machines. Rondo Ghina Sahaku narrowed his eyes, as he saw them leaving Ame-No-Mihashira's sensor range. "So, my sister is alive, and so are they." he told himself. 

"M'lord, we have clearance for Hangar one of the station." a soldier told him, as Ghina nodded to him.

"I see." he told him. "Orb Fell, because of Uzumi Nara Athha's errors, but as long as I live, I Rondo of the Sahaku Family, our nation is not truly destroyed. After I rebuild, the world will soon be mine. And days will end. For now, I must hide from my enemies, and I must submit myself to the ideals of Azrael and his alliance. And soon the World will Submit to me." he told the crew, who looked at him wierdly. "Remember, it was the Athha's that made us flee from our home. And one is aboard one of those ships." he told them. "Think of them as traitors."

"But Lord Sahaku!" a soldier pleaded as he looked at the man.

He continued to stare into the mans eyes. "Tell me, did you just lost your home, by Uzumi Nara Athha's, and Cagalli Yula Athha's Ideals?" he asked the soldier, as all he did was nod. "Good." he told them, looking at the direction where the Archangel was heading. "What is their destination?" he asked, as his men got working.

It took a few moments until their destination was determined. "The L4 Colonies." a soldier told him. "I see. Send Four, and Six to keep tabs on them, and engage the Kusanagi when Azrael's theoried Nuclear mobile suit pilots are no longer available." he told them.

* * *

As down in the hangar, two mobile suits, got ready for combat. Both, were colored, in a black and gold color scheme to go with Rondo's own group. One, was a GAT-333 Raider Full Spec mobile suit, which of what the blue was, replaced with the black color. It looked much like the original Raider, but it didn't have a railgun on its right arm, or the Spherical breaker on its left. The one behind it, shared many save detail looking features of the Calamity. However, the shoulder units of the original, were replaced, by beam boomerangs, and a shield was mounted under the right arm of this unit. Where the Calamity had Blue, was colored black on this unit, and the orange on the original, was gold on this one. On this units back, were a pair of anti ship swords, the Sword Strike used. This was the GAT-X133 Sword Calamity. Inside, the two pilots slid down their visors. "Raider, you are clear for launch." the mobile suit status opperator called dwon, as the Black machine took off. As soon as it left the ship, it went into its Mobile Armor mode, which resembled the original's bird mode. "Calamity, you are clear for launch." she called, as its eyes glowed green, and then took off into space. As rather then the two cannons of the original, the Sword Calamity was given extra thrusters, which took part, as it blasted off into space, after the Archangel, and Kusanagi, along side its Raider Counterpart.

* * *

The next day, Athrun prepared to launch in one of the ship's small, single-seat shuttles. 

While the mechanics prepared the vessel in the hanger, he was clearing up a few last-minute details with Kira, Yzak and Dearka. "If I don't come back," Athrun said to his fellow ZAFT deserters, "I want one of _you two_ to pilot the Justice." he told them.

Dearka vehemently shook his head. "Forget about it," he said forcefully. "You're the only one who should be in that thing."

"Wait a minute!" Cagalli shouted, coming through the air toward them. She caught Athrun's shoulders and shook him. "Athrun! Why are you doing this?"

"Cagalli?"

She glared at him. "Tell me you're not really going back to the PLANTs!"

He looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it." She glanced up at the Justice. "What'll happen to you if you return without _that_?"

"It's better if the Justice stays here," Athrun replied, evading the question. "And if worse comes to worst, I'm sure Kira will take care of it."

"That's not what I meant!"

"I know. But I have to know." He sighed. "One way or the other... I _have_ to know."

Kira drifted over. "Cagalli, you know he has to. It's his _father_."

She looked away. "I know." Cagalli looked up to see Ahmed, floating down to join them.

"Cagalli, its his choice to do this." he told her, as he landed on the ground with the other pilots.

* * *

A half hour later, Ramius watched from the Bridge as the shuttle launched. _"Kira here,"_ Kira said from the main monitor. "Freedom launching to escort the shuttle." 

She nodded. "Very well. Be careful."

One mobile suit and a shuttle flew onward toward the homeland of the enemy, one pilot on his way to confront his father, and one to escort him.

It was a long trip, for them, with their destination.

* * *

Back with the Archangel, and Kusanagi, the two ships were heading to their locations. The place was quiet, besides the ZAFT pilots, that were still on the ship. Yzak and Dearka were in the Cafeteria, as Miriallia, and Sai came in. As they picked up their food, they looked for a seat.

"Hey, Mir, come over here!" Dearka called, as the two came over. "Mir, I know we haven't actually know each other for very long, but this is Yzak, Sam's brother." she told them, as she smiled.

"Hey." She said extending a hand to him, and Yzak took it. "Miriallia Haww." she told him, as Yzak nodded.

"And I'm Sai Argyle." he told him, as Yzak shook his hand.

"Yzak Joule." he told them, as he then, began to eat again.

"So, Yzak, how well is your relation with Sam?" Sai asked, as Yzak, ate the piece of stake he cut up.

He then shrugged a bit. "Just a regular brother to brother relationship." he told them. Dearka took a drink of water, as he smirked.

"Tell them that nickname you had Sam call yeah, in that first battle after we found out who he was." he joked, as Yzak pretty much sent him a deathglare.

"I heard that one. Silver Dollar right?" she asked, as Yzak just got a hateful look on his face.

"You can say that." he told them. "But he usually called me Doll, or Silva for short." he added in, seemingly angry as his fist tightened around the fork. "God I hate those names, now. They were not so bad when he was ten." he told him. "But because of then, I did not want to seem to hate, it after what those Earth Forces Bastards did to him." he explained, as Sai remember hearing about that. When he and Sam got a talk back before the battle of Orb. About everything of the truth, and the others Sam called friends.

"I heard about that from him." Sai admitted. "I can't believe those people would do such things." he said, angry much like Yzak.

"It was just to cruel to actually picture it." Mir finished for him.

Yzak nodded in agreement. "Mom and I, always got a scare, when Sam started having sharp pains, go through his entire body, from a result of such things." he told them.

"Didn't the PLANT doctors find any kind of cure for him?" Mir asked, as Yzak shook his head.

"We don't know how they did it. But the cause of this, was deep in the Cerebral Cortex, if removed, Sam would die." he told them, as Mir and Sai got confused. "He never told you, because if you tried, the Cortex seemed to heal around it, and had it become part of it. If removed, his death was intimate, because they would have to repair it, within moments." he continued. "The Device, from what we learned, stimulates the brain, and sends it through the body, by the spinal cord." he began to explain. "However, from the shock of using it, the first time after a while, will make Sam feel severe pains through out his body." he said taking another breath. "From what we learned of the Device though, is that, its capable of sending his own thoughts into the mobile suit, making it perform better, then the original." he finished.

"And from what I learned of it." Dearka began. "Is that, his muscles in his face, around the eyes, become tensed." he finished, as Mu stood at the door.

"That, is beyond what we can comprehend." Mu told them, as Mir was startled from the voice, and then looked back.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It means Mir, is that, there are more secrets then anything we knew of." Sai told her, that was when the alarms began to go off.

"_Incomeing Mobile suits, all personel head to Level one battle stations"_ Murrue's voice called out.

"An attack out here?" Yzak asked, as he took off towards the hangar, not far behind Mu, and Dearka right behind him.

* * *

The Kusanagi had similar alerts, as it was the ship being fired upon. As outside, the black and gold version of the Calamity, with an Anti Ship sword in hand, charged the energy in its chest, and fired a Multiphase beam cannon at the Kusanagi. 

"Evade!" Cagalli yelled, as it was nearly to late for them, as the beam missed the bridge, but turned the bow mounted gottfried into melted metal. "What are we being attacked by!?" she called out, as Mu asked the same thing, as he strapped in the Strike.

Sai getting to his position began figureing it all out. "Unknown thermal patterns, but they are similar with two mobile suits we fought before!" he called, as Natarle turned to him.

"Well what are they?" she asked, as he looked at them.

"They are similar to Calamity, and Raider!" he informed all of them.

As he was right, the two machines came at them, both black in color, and limited Ranged weapons. "Charge Gottfrieds, ninety degree turn starboard side, with target Alpha Yellow!" Natarle ordered, the ship, as Murrue allowed this. The Archangel began to turn to fire on the incoming mobile suits.

"Is it just the two of them?" Murrue asked him, "What about their ship?" She asked again.

"None detected." Sai informed her.

"Have the G-Weapons ready for combat." she ordered Mir.

Down in the hangar, the Strike was sent through the Port side, Catapult, as the Duel was prepped for the Starboard side. "_Commander Mu, the opponents are mobile suits resembling the Raider, and Calamity._" Mir informed him.

"Is it them again?" Dearka asked, as the Buster waited for its turn.

"_No, they are different units, with different Weapon layouts. And it seems their main target is the Kusanagi!" _She told them.

With this, the Strike was then equipped with its new Gunbarrel pack. If anything he learned of the original Raider, was that it was maneuverable. And as this is no longer Earth, so would be the Calamity. "Mu La Flaga, taking off!" he called out, as the Strike launched into space.

"Yzak Joule, Duel Delta, heading out."

Dearka was next. "Dearka be careful." she told him, with some concern for his well being.

"Roger that." Dearka told her, as the linear catapult launched the Buster into space. The two Machines, that were already out there, took notice, as the Sword Calamity, held an Anti Ship sword in its left hand, and grabbed ahold of a "Midas Messer" Beam boomerang. It saw the catapult of the Kusanagi open, and threw the boomerang at the ship. It made contact, with a M1 Astray that just came out, as the beamed weapon seared through the torso of the mobile suit.

Dearka did not like such a thing, as he combined his weapons to form the beam sniper rifle, and the twin pods on the Busters Shoulders opened. With this, a barrage of missiles, and a constant stream of beam energy right at the sword wielding machine. The Beam was faster as it came at the machine, but it took the hit, on its "Panzer Eisen" Rocket anchor, which like the Sword Strike, it doubled as a anti beam shield. However, the barrage of missiles were coming closer, but never made it, as a barrage of machine gun fired destroyed them, and the source was the Raider.

"What the?" Dearka asked himself, as Sword got its boomerang back.

"These guys are more of a team, then those other guys." Mu notioned, as Ahmed joined them, in his M1B.

"Just who are they?" Ahmed asked, as the two hostile machines seemed to be waiting for the next move.

"Just what are they waiting for?" Yzak asked, as his machine grabbed, two large curved blades from the back of his machine, as the edges turned into a bright orange.

Mu then tried something rash. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he called over the radio. For several moments the mobile suits, hovered in spot, wondering what will happen next, and unlike other opponents, that wen their merry way, these two, faught as though they knew what the other was going to do next.

Natarle wondered what they were doing as did Cagalli. All the Mobile suits were doing were waiting for something to happen, as another of the Kusanagi's M1's joined the group of machines. They were clearly at the advantage, but well the two Machines seemed to not make a move.

"AHH, I CAN'T STAND IT!" the pilot of the M1 called out, as he charged the two machine.

"No Stop!" Mu called, but it was to late, the two machines made their move, as the Sword Calamity fired its rocket Anchor. Within moments, it grabbed ahold of the M1.

"What!" he called out, as then he met his end, as the Raider verted to its bird mode and fired one of its Cobra Missiles penetrated through the cockpit, taking the pilot litteraly out of the machine, then detonating. With a lifeless Machine left behind.

"Oh man. We may have our hands full with these two." Dearka moaned, as the machines all stared each other down again.

Yzak had enough of this now. "Well, I'm not sitting here, and waiting for my machine to run out of energy." He told them, as with that, he connected both of his new melee weapons together, to form that of a large boomerang. With a rotating feature with the new Duel's hand is that it can spin at a high velocity, and with such velocity released the weapon towards the two mobile suits.

Mu followed Yzak into battle, as the Strikes new Gunbarrel pack released its four Gunbarrels, as they began to move away from the mobile suit, as the Gundam moved towards its target. Dearka, and Ahmed, got their weapons ready, as they fired through the gap between the Duel and Strike. "Listen, if we are going to beat these two, we have to be like them, and fight as a team as well." Mu coached the others. As they continued to charge, the two attackers broke their formation as they began to Flank the Duel and Strike.

"What the?" Yzak asked, as the Raider Full Spec came at him, fireing its machine guns at the phase shift machine. Yzak dodged it, because if they made contact, his machine would be drained far faster then what it normally wood. "Flaga Move!" he warned his new comrade.

Mu took the warning and banked out of the barrages way. As a counter, one of his Gunbarrels turned to the Raider Full, and fired a beam of energy at the machine. The Raider, easily dodged the attack, as though it knew what to do. Mu did not come out as lucky, as the Sword Calamity came down, and sliced one of his other Gunbarrels in half. "What?" he wondered, as he then dodged the anti ship sword, as the Sword came at him after destroying the Gunbarrel. Instead the Calamity met with some CIWs shots to the face of the mobile suit. Sword did not flinch from such an attack, however it dodged as the remaining Gunbarrels opened fire on it. "These guys are good." he commented.

Yzak, continued to dodge the attacks of the Raider, as the two shoulders of the Duel opened, along with the two railguns snapping into position. With it, both Railguns fired, and then eight Missiles fired in total from the two shoulders of the mobile suit. However, the missiles were fired upon by the Raider full spec. But as the missiles came close to the live fire, the weapons exploded, firing small fragmentations at the Raider. It reverted to Mobile suit form, and covered its cockpit, and head from the fire with its arms.

That was when Ahmed came up from behind, combineing the gun launcher and beam rifle, into its shotgun form, and fired it to the back of the Raider. From the combined attack, the Raider became damaged, but was still in fighting status. "Whoa!" Ahmed called, as he dodged some machine gun fire from the mobile suit. He had to, because out of the others, his machine was the only one, without some kind of version of phase shift armor.

"Ahmed." Dearka said, as he combined his weapons, into the Hyper Impulse beam sniper. The Beam wizzed just barrely past the machine, but it melted part of the machines wing away.

Evidently, this left Mu facing the Sword alone. Which he dodged a Horizontal Slash from the mobile suit. With this, he diconnected his Gunbarrels. However, Calamity saw this, and fired two of its Rocket Anchors, grabbing hold of both of the remote units.

"What?" Mu gasped, as he did not expect this, as he saw something in the chest glowing. "Oh joy." He said, as the Calamity had both of the Gunbarrels, which seemed to make it as though he was stuck. He then did something daring, as he then drew one of the beam sabers, and detached the let wire that guided a gun pod. With it detached, the Calamity Fired, at the spot where Mu once was. "My turn!" Mu called, as the Strike came blazing at the machine with a pillar of fire, ready to sear through the machines Metal. However, he was blocked, as the Calamity grabbed a beam boomerang, and used its beam, to stop the beam saber in its tracks. "Whoa." Mu said, as he dodged a cleaveing blow from the anti ship sword. "Hey guys, I don't think these guys are naturals." he commented.

Dearka knew what he meant, as the Raider Full Spec, was now using its speed as a weapon, dodgeing many of its weapons. "Damn, I'm starting to think so to old man." Dearka commented, as Yzak tried to slash the Raider with a heated kinetic weapon, but the mobile suit dodged with ease.

"Damn it, get back here." Yzak told the Raider, as he gave chase once again. Ahmed, decided that he should act as a turret of some kind, as he stayed close to the Kusanagi, which was still the two machines main target. That was when, the Raider, fired its second King Cobra missile, but at the Kusanagi this time, right for the Hangar. The Missile exploded before it got there though, as Ahmed fired his gunlauncher into the path of the missile. "You wont do that again!" Yzak called, as he carried the double Shotel in one hand, and fired his beam rifle at the mobile suit. Which banked to the left, dodgeing the shot. "Argh!" Yzak yelled getting raged as the mobile suit kept on dodgeing him.

However, with this chase the Sword Calamity appeared over the Full Spec, and fired its multiphase energy cannon at Yzak. "Whoa." Yzak called, as he dodged the beam. But with that, the two mobile suits, went for the Kusanagi again.

"Ahmed stop them!" Cagalli radioed, as Ahmed went to be between the oncoming mobile suits, as the G-Weapons were hot on the tails.

However, this little break in the Melee was exactly what Natarle was waiting for. "Fire Gottfrieds!" she called out, as the Archangel's two 225cm beam cannons in between the ship and the oncoming mobile suits. The Beam was fired, as the Machines took note, and stopped in their tracks, as the beam moved harmlessly infront of them. The two pilots then took note of this, as their power was not looking so well. With this, Sword placed its sword on its back, and both Machines took off in the direction they came from.

"They're retreating?" Mu asked no one in particular as the two machines sped away.

"Weird." was all Ahmed said, as he himself watched them, with the Kusanagi .

* * *

Meanwhile, Jachin Due Defensive Space 

"We're approaching Jachin Due's defensive perimeter," Athrun informed his friend. "You should head back now Kira." he informed the Freedom's pilot.

"Okay," Kira echoed. "I'll wait for you here."

Athrun looked sharply at the Freedom. "No, you should go back."

Kira was silent for several moments. "Athrun," he said finally.

"Huh?"

"It's not your time to go. You know that, don't you?"

"Kira..."

"It's not our time to go," he repeated. "For any of us."

Athrun thought about that, right hand idly fingering the amulet Cagalli had given him for luck months earlier, soon after the destruction of the Aegis. "Not yet," he murmured.

"Not yet," Kira agreed.

"Okay, then. I'll remember that," Athrun promised.

"Make sure you do." Kira told him, as in reality, he did not want to lose his friend again.

The Freedom swiftly dwindled to a speck, and then less than that, as the small shuttle neared Jachin Due. It was fairly essential that ZAFT not realize the Freedom was there, of course; especially since Athrun's mission had been to _retrieve_ the stolen machine.

"Jachin Due Defense Forces, please respond," he radioed. "This is Special Forces Agent Athrun Zala..." he told them, as one of the two defensive fortresses of space, are extremley well defended with its surface weapons, Shipyards, and mobile suit corps.

* * *

Jachin Due. Its name came from one of the pillars of Solomon's Temple, called 'Due' to signify its status as the second of two fortresses guarding the Coordinator homeland. Originally a resource asteroid, it had been the site of a huge battle in the early days of the war. By the time the space dust settled, the Earth Alliance's Fifth and Sixth Fleets had been virtually annihilated, and the Earth Forces were driven into retreat. 

Following that, ZAFT forces had relocated the asteroid to a location strategically important to the PLANTs and transformed it into the fortress known as Jachin Due, twin to the asteroid base Boaz. It was a formidable obstacle, with dozens of mobile suits stationed within and countless fixed defenses. Alone, it had been sufficient to stop another Alliance attack in its tracks. It was impregnable to just about any type of an attack, and was the last line of defense for the PLANTs.

* * *

Inside, however, there was trouble, with Lacus Clyne, still branded as a traitor, to the PLANTs. Martin DaCosta, dressed in a business suit, abandoned his usual caution and raced up the stairs to a nondescript building, where a similarly-dressed soldier quickly opened the door for him. 

Inside, in a room cluttered with people and portable computers, Lacus Clyne turned to him. "Hello, Martin. What's the word on the street?"

"Not good," he admitted. "A lot of people were disturbed by what Ezalia Joule said about you in her broadcast." That was hardly a surprise, of course; Yzak's, and Samorei's mother, a member of the PLANT Supreme Council, in a recent news conference had claimed that Lacus was still the idol of the PLANTs she had always been, but that she was now being manipulated by the Earth Forces. She was likley mad for that her remaining son has vanished, and said to be MIA according to Rau Le Creuset. So now because of this, she had no love for Naturals, for taking both of her children away. She had called on citizens to turn her in, so that she could be "saved", and that had unfortunately struck a chord with far too many people. "And the news about Master Siegel hasn't been released to the public yet. I know it's a little sooner than we planned," DaCosta went on, "but I think we should consider leaving."

"I understand your concern," Lacus said slowly. "And I'm inclined to agree with you. Very well. Everyone, it is time for us to move . . . forward!"

Allenby nodded, sitting on the floor, as she loaded the magazine for her MAB Model D pistol. "Things are getting to dangerous now for us here in the PLANTs." she commented.

"Mam" one of the soldiers began, getting the attention from Lacus. He removed his hand from his head set radio, from another member, more precisely, a member of the Jachin Due Space Fortress. "It seems, Athrun Zala has returned." he told her.

"Athrun, he's back?" Lacus asked, as the soldier nodded.

"Yes, however, he was not pilioting the ZGMF-X09A." the soldier briefed her. "Instead he flew in, on a Earth Forces Shuttle." he finished.

"I see." she said. "Please, get someone to keep an eye on him. If Athrun goes to his father, and without the Justice, he could be in danger." she told them.

With this, Martin got suited up, for the mission. He was part of the Waltfeld team, and was ready to infiltrate the meeting of father and son.

* * *

A while later, Allenby, and Martin drove up to the entrance of the building, Martin in full disguise, while Allenby, was dressed enough to fool the soldiers at the gates. Three Clyne faction soldiers climbed out, and with Martin looking back, one last time, nodded at Allenby, who then drove away, heading for the hangars, for the Clyne Factions Grand escape. With the soldiers already there, the three blended in with them, waiting for orders. 

In the supreme chairmans office, Zala's voice could be heard. "Answer me, Athrun!" Zala demanded. "Where are the Justice and the Freedom?" Zala bellowed. "Answer me!" he called again. Athrun just looked at him, eyes narrow, amulet glowing. _"To make matters worse, the PLANTs are being led by someone who believes that Coordinators are a new species, for Patrick Zala rules them now... Patrick Zala rules them now..." _With that, the soldiers poured into the room, Martin included.

* * *

However, within Athrun, The words kept echoing in his head, and something in him snapped. With a wordless snarl of pure rage, he launched himself at his father, hands reaching for Zala's throat. 

Startled, the Chairman fired, grazing his son's shoulder. "Hold your fire!" he ordered the guards. "There are some things he still needs to tell me. Take him away, and get the answers from him. Use whatever means necessary."

"Yes, sir!"

"I'm _very_ disappointed, Athrun," Zala said harshly.

"I feel the same way," his son replied. And with that, Athrun was dragged away, for interrogation for where the Justice and Freedom were located. Athrun walked numbly along in the center of the ring of guards, hands cuffed behind him and shoulder burning from the wound his father had inflicted.

He almost wanted to try some suicidal stunt, a fatal attempt at escape, but Kira's words came back to him. _"It's not your time to go... it's not your time to go... You know that, right?... you know that, right?..."_ The words buoyed him, and gave him the beginnings of a plan.

Soon enough, they had arrived at the vehicle that would take him off to be interrogated, probably brutally, and Athrun had an idea. Reckless, but just possibly workable, with a little luck, good timing, and (hopefully) a good amount of surprise on the part of the guards.

He stopped just behind the van. "Hey, what are you-" a guard demanded; and Athrun acted.

He slammed his foot into the soldier to his right, and body-slammed the one to his left, then started running away. At the same time, another guard, though appearing surprised, suddenly turned and slammed the butt of his rifle into his partner's face, knocking him out. "Didn't expect this," he muttered, and ran over to Athrun. "This way! Hurry!"

With that, one of the others, that came with said soldier, began to open fire with his weapon.

The duplicitous soldier turned to Athrun. "Get down and turn your back to me! I'm gonna shoot your handcuffs!" Doing so, he shook his head. "You're way too reckless. Don't you wanna live? You even knocked out one of _my_ guys!" He handed the pilot a machine pistol as he spoke.

"Who are you guys?" Athrun asked, cocking the weapon.

DaCosta lifted his helmet. "I'm a member of what they're calling the Clyne Faction," he explained. "You've thrown quite a wrench into our plans."

"I'm sorry," Athrun said sardonically. "I had no idea."

"Well, naturally. How could you?" The ex-ZAFT soldier told him, as he was prone against the wall. "Come on, we have to hurry, we don't have a whole lot of time." Martin told the Blue haired pilot, as the two went the other way down the alley.

"Where are we going?" Athrun asked, as the two jumped into a car.

"To our getaway ship," DaCosta answered. "By the time we arrive, the _Eternal_ should be secure."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the battleship _Eternal_, Andrew "Desert Tiger" Waltfeld sat in the Bridge's command chair. "Well," he said to the Bridge crew at large. "I guess it's time." He lifted the intercom handset. "All hands, the ship is entering final preparations. Repeat, the ship is beginning final preparations. Get to work!" 

On a lower deck, two crew members looked confused, then froze as their crewmates suddenly held guns on them. "What the-"

"Easy, now," a female crew member, already under the gun, advised.

As the ZAFT loyalists among the crew were debarked, Lacus entered the Bridge. "Sorry for the delay!" she apologized, setting down in the flag chair.

"No worries," Waltfeld replied. "So long as you arrived safely." He turned, raising an inquiring eyebrow. "Shall we launch?" he asked, as in the hangar, Allenby floated over to the cockpit of the Salvation Gundam. Which resembled much of the Freedom, however was equipped with two additional weapons, compared to the Busters armaments.

"Yes please do so. And have Allenby ready for launch, I don't think they will let us go easily." Lacus told the captain.

Waltfeld looked forward at the helmsman. "Start up main engines."

* * *

In the control room overlooking the _Eternal_'s dock, the engine startup caused pandemonium. "Eternal_, what are you doing? You don't have clearance to launch!"_

The helmsman turned in his chair. "The code on the gate was just changed," he reported.

"What a clever bunch they are," Waltfeld commented. "They'd have been better off leaving it as is. Activate main cannon and prepare to fire as soon as we launch." The Tiger looked back at Lacus. "Shall we?"

"Yes. The time has come for us to move forward." Lacus straightened in her chair. "_Eternal_, please go ahead and launch!"

The powerful ship's engines flared to life, and the _Eternal_ began to move forward. _"Commander Waltfeld, what are you doing?" _The port authority demanded irately. _"You don't have orders to leave. Cut your engines, _Eternal!"

Waltfeld ignored them completely. "Fire main cannon! Target: primary gate!"

The _Eternal_'s large, centerline beam cannon fired, discharging its huge green beam into the gate blocking off the harbor's exit, allowing the ship to slip through and into open space. And with this, the mighty ship, known as the Eternal had begun its maiden voyage.

"Where's DaCosta?" Waltfeld inquired of his crew.

"On his way, sir."

* * *

At that moment, Martin DaCosta piloted a small, two-seat shuttle with Athrun in the rear, racing through a launch tunnel, completely ignoring the lightly-armed work shuttles that hung in their path. "Here we go!" he advised Athrun as they flew out into space, above the _Eternal_. 

"Head to the aft hatch, DaCosta!" the Tiger ordered. "Maximum thrust as soon as he's aboard," he added to the helmsman. "This is a fast ship; we'll shake 'em."

On the nearby _Vesalius_, they heard of the escape of the Eternal. "The _Eternal_'s gone? And Athrun, too?" The latter didn't terribly surprise him Rau le Creuset; he'd known of Athrun's divided loyalties since the day the _Archangel_ had departed Heliopolis.

"We've orders to pursue them, sir!"

He shook his head. "Even the _Vesalius_ can't catch up to them at this point; we'll have to let the Jachin forces handle it."

Le Creuset smiled to himself. _Oh, this is _highly_ entertaining, Chairman Zala!_

* * *

Aboard the _Eternal_, the Bridge hatch opened once more, this time to admit Martin DaCosta and Athrun Zala, the latter with his arm in a sling. 

"Athrun, there you are! Good!" Lacus pushed away from her chair and floated over to the pilot. "Are you all right?"

"Lacus?" Athrun said in surprise, steadying her with his left hand.

"Welcome aboard the ship of the songstress," the Desert Tiger said, turning. "I'm Andrew Waltfeld, kid."

_He blinked. "The Desert Tiger?" _he asked in surprise, he heard that the Tiger was MIA, from Yzak and Dearka. But then again, Nicol lived with his encounter with the Strike, so the chance was that Waltfeld did the same.

"We're approaching Jachin Due," Waltfeld called, interrupting them. "The Jachin forces are launching to intercept. Well, can't say I'm that surprised." He looked at the crew. "Ready main cannon! Activate CIWS!"

"Do you have any mobile suits aboard?" Athrun asked.

"This ship was designed to support, the Justice and the Freedom, along with two others, the X12A, and the X08A, however, all we have now, is 08." he told him, as with that, in the hangar, Allenby fully suited up, was moved to the linear catapult of the Eternal.

"_Salvation, you are clear for launch."_ the mobile suit observation officer raidoed to the hangar, as Waltfeld smiled, he wanted to see one of his protege's feel true flight, with a state of the art model, that was to be used by Aces.

"Roger that." Allenby called, as she hit the proper switches. "Alright, Allenby, Salvation Gundam, taking off!" she called, as the machine took flight, out of the catapult. The Machine looked almost exactly like the Freedom, besides from some different features. From its dull gray state, it turned, into a blue machine, with a black torso.

* * *

Inside the Eternal again, Lacus look on as the Machine unfolded its ten wings, however their were two like cannons on its back, and would go under the arms when in use. "Give me an open channel for outgoing communication," she requested. 

"Roger that," Waltfeld agreed. A moment later, "Okay, you're on."

"Attention, Jachin Defense Forces," she began. "My name is Lacus Clyne. Though I am an enemy of Patrick Zala, because we have differing views on what the future should be like, I still have no desire to fight against you. Please, let our ship go in peace, and I beseech you all once again to think carefully about we should really be fighting against."

Some of the ZAFT pilots hesitated. "Commander?" one of them called, uncertain.

"Don't be swayed by her words," his squad leader told him. "Our orders are to attack, and that's what we're gonna do!"

* * *

On the _Eternal_'s Bridge, Waltfeld saw the lines of missile trajectories appear on the display. "It won't be easy for them to change their beliefs so quickly," he commented. "Very well, then. Commence interception!" he called out, as Allenby nodded. With that, her targeting computer appeared infront of her. Like Kira's machine, hers was semi use as a long range intercepter. But it was more of a protecter of the Freedom, then doing its job. However, she did not let that affect her, as her two plasma cannons went underneath the wings, to just below both arms, as she moved her shield out of the way. However, she also used her beam rifle along with it, sending a beam, and two bolts of Plasma at the incoming CGUEs and GINNs. The two Plasma bolts, fried two GINNs, with D-equipment missiles, while the beam rifle shot of an arm of a CGUE. However, many other GINNs fired off their missiles. 

The Eternal itself, had its countless missile launchers opened fire, sending out dozens of missiles to intercept the incoming warheads, detonating them well clear of the ship's hull. "Well, this is fun." Waltfeld joked, as the ship shook hard.

Allenby, however drew one of her blades, as it glowed violently, with a greenish yellow beam. With it in hand, the thrusters within the wings of her machine, flared to existence, sending her right for the enemy machines.

"What is that!?" a soldier called, before his body disappeared from existence as the beam melted through the mobile suits torso. With that then, the mobile suit, let loose its CIWs, to destroy incoming missiles.

"This is sure tougher then I thought." She commented, as her shield took the hit of a beam from a beam rifle.

"Please, try to avoid hitting the cockpits," Lacus requested.

"That won't be easy either," the Commander replied. "Main cannon, fire!" Almost instantly several contacts faded from the display, but more were still appearing.

"Sir, mobile suits destroyed, but more are still coming!" the radar officer called out. "Thermal patterns are more then I can count, and the Nazca's are closing in to firing range!" he called out.

"Damn, we are not going down now." Waltfeld said with a sneer, as he turned to the weapons officer. "Fire the main cannon again, all we need to do, is get through straight ahead!" he called out. "Have Allenby, help clear the way!" he ordered.

That was when the radar went haywire, as missiles were getting to close. However, with that, a green beam lanced out and blasted a missile to cinders, followed by two more as the Freedom sliced across space towards them. "Kira!" Athrun said in surprise. "But-"

Kira continued blasting missiles until there were few enough for the _Eternal_'s point defense to handle, then armed all his weapons and locked onto every mobile suit in range, before firing off his trademark multi-beam attack.

Within seconds, every GINN and CGUE in range was either disarmed or headless, leaving the _Eternal_ to fly on unhindered, with the Freedom and Salvation joining at the wing with both providing escort. "Kira that was amazing!" Allenby called to him as the Salvation flew beside the Freedom.

"Allenby? What is going on?" he asked, as the two mobile suits were heading beside the ship that continued to head foreward.

_"This is Kira Yamato, in the Freedom,"_ came the call over the radio.

"Kira!" Lacus called happily.

Kira's face appeared on the screen. _"Is that Lacus?"_

"Yes!"

"Great work, youngster," Waltfeld said with a smile. "You saved our hides."

Kira's eyes were wide as saucers. _"Andrew Waltfeld? But... but I..."_

"No hard feelings, kid." The Tiger told him, as the ship continued on course. "I think it'd be best if we link up with your friends." and with that Kira nodded, as he transmitted the data to them. And with that, the Freedom landed, with Salvation in the hangar, and with that, the ship moved foreward, towards the L4 colonies.

* * *

A/n: Ok, another chapter down, and we are getting closer to the end game. However, you all noticed another machine introduced here, for Allenby. The ZGMF-X08A Salvation Gundam. However, I will post this momentairly in these notes.

Ok, I know many readers are reading this, but only a select few actually review. I know you all have better things to do, but the more reviews this beast gets, the faster I will write the next chapter. And also, speaking of the next chapter, I will likley get one more chapter up before the holidays. So bare with me on that.

Ok, now here is the new machine.

Model number: ZGMF-X08A

Code name: Salvation Gundam

Unit type: prototype assault mobile suit

Color: Normal:Dull Gray

Phase Shift:Mostly Blue, however with a Black Torso

Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau

Operator(s): ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty); Three Ships Alliance

First deployment: 1 July C.E. 71

Accommodation:Pilot only

Dimensions:19.54 meters

Weight:73.2 tons

Construction:One of a kind

Powerplant:Ultra-compact Nuclear Fission Reactor, Power unkown

Equipment and design features: Sensors, Neutron Jammer Canceller, Phase Shift Armor, hardpoints for METEOR Unit

Fixed Armaments: MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS x2, M100 "Balaena" plasma beam cannon x2 located on back pack and brought from under arms, much like the busters weaponry, ML-R07 Hyper beam swords, directly powered by generator via cable x2 Located on hip armor, RQM51 "Bassel" beam boomerang x2

Optional hand armaments: MA-M20 "Lupus" beam rifle x1, Anti beam shield x1

There you go, Allenby's new machine.

Now, for a small warning, the next chapter, may only have brief appearances by the main show group. The Next chapter, will mainly have stuff going on, at Ame-No-Mihashira but Mendel, will be happening in the chapter after that. Also, I know that a lot of you are thinking, I have made the good guys to strong with all the additional mobile suits, and characters for the main group. But there is nothing to worry about, both Dynameis and Archai will make things pretty much dead even, along with more Nazca's coming in from ZAFTs side.


	32. Chapter 32: False Gold Alliance

Chapter 32: False Gold Alliance

* * *

Rondo Ghina Sahaku walked down the halls, of civilians, as he went towards the elevator to where his sister was, until his return. He has seen that only three of Samorei's clones are still in the station. Quite likley the others, have gone with the Kusanagi. To Ghina however, he was confident that his new soldiers would eliminate the ship their target was on, even with the Archangel providing escort. Ghina knew that his plans would now become indangered, with his sister and Joule aboard the station now. His way of manipulation was top notch, however there were a few that were immune to it, namely to him was Samorei, with his way of taking Mina away from the Sahaku Family goals.

For a short while of being in the elevator taking him, to the head office of the station, the doors slid open. He walked in, seeing Mina standing behind the desk. "I see, you have returned brother." Mina notioned, turning around to see, pretty much her exact double, with her resemblence to her brother, really eirie.

"Mina, its good to see you are alive." Ghina told her, with a smile. "I thought you perished, when I heard what happened to Orb." he told her.

"Well, as long as our Nations people made it out, my life was no concern." she told him.

"To most people." Samorei mentioned, as Ghina did not notice that the silver haired pilot sitting over on one of the luxurys of the office. Sam had to keep up the charade of what he knew the Gold Frame has been doing.

"Ahh, quite right, from what things I have heard." Ghina said, eyeing the pilot of the fourth prototype. "I see you have been able to feint Death quite a bit these past two years." he commented.

Sam just smiled, as he took a drink of rum and soda. "Oh please Ghina, of Death wanted me, I would of died when I was eight years old." he told them.

"Ahh yes." Ghina said looking over to his right. "Your UE experimentations." he said, as he walked over to the desk, which Mina presented him. "I have also heard, that the White Devil has been giving the Earth Forces some trouble." Sam grimaced, hearing that alias again, even though he has been called that, even by his ZAFT associates back in the military.

"That was a long time ago." Sam told him, as Ghina nodded.

"Quite right, please, accept my apologies." he commented, as Sam nodded.

"Also, from my sources, it seems that the Nosferatu has been proving quite the opponent in battle, according to what reports I got from the battle of Orb." Ghina told him. "Many Earth Forces Deaths, from it, even your usage of the Maga no Ikutachi" he commented, a feature that both of first proto, and fourth had, in their upgraded forms.

"It was used twice, so I could continue to fight." he told the noble.

"Yes indeed, and even you Mina, proved quite the fighter, in you M1." he told her. "Quite and Admirable trait." he added in.

"Yes of course." Mina said, as the computer monitor began to beep, for an incoming call.

"Yes what is it?" Ghina asked the person that came up on the monitor.

"_Sir, the away team has returned, they wish to fill you in with the report." _The soldier told him.

"Ahh yes. Mina, Samorei, please leave, this shall be a private call." he told them, a Sam fidgeted in his pocket for a second, and then with the same hand grab ahold of the glass, taking one last drink, and then setting it down.

"Yes of course." Sam told him, as he stood up to leave. Mina soon followed the action. And with that, the two left.

* * *

Outside the Office

"What away team did Ghina speak of?" Mina asked, as the two walked towards the elevator.

"I have no idea." Sam told her, as he took an electronic device from his pocket. "But this here, is how we can find out." he told her. With it, he hit the transmit button. That was when Ghina's voice began.

"_What do you mean you failed!" _Ghina's voice called out.

"_Sir, they were well defended, by upgraded first generation G-Weapons, and one of Orb's new M1B units._" an unknown voice told him.

"_At least tell me, Athha was among the casualties!_" he called.

* * *

Ame No Mihashira, main office

Ghina slammed his fist slammed the desk. "Tell me, she was among them!" he ordered.

"_I am sorry m'lord, unless, she was in the bow gottfried control area, she is still alive._" the person explained.

"Fine, Four, Eleven return to the base, and make sure that you are not seen among the normal soldiers." Ghina ordered.

* * *

As down in the hangar, Nicol looked up, as he saw the Sword Calamity touch down, as the Raider Full Spec, reverted from bird mode, to mobile suit form, which walked towards their designated holds, as from the Izumo, Black painted M1s lined up in their general positions. "Something doesn't seem right." Savir said from behind Nicol.

"Whoa, Samorei, is that you?" Nicol asked.

Savir shook his head, for the answer. "No, I'm Savir, clone 01, of Samorei." he told the green haired youth. "And this is not right, those machines look like they were apart of the attack on Orb." he told him.

"I sorta had that thought as well." Nicol commented. He went over to the inventory computer, to look up the information on the two mobile suits. "They are GAT models, so they are either of, or once was Earth Forces." he commented.

Savir with his arms crossed, looked up at the Sword Calamity. "Yes they are, and they are variations of the Calamity and Raider." he added in, taking note of what the two machines, resembled. "Things are more twisted, then what I have seen." he commented on.

* * *

Within the Civilian designated zone, several of the soldiers, were taking food, and water, to the refugees. Saxton and Samuru were among them. Each one of them were in seperate areas. Samuru, kneeled down, as he handed to a pair of teenage children, orphans who lost their parents in the last battle. "Here you go." he told a young brown haired girl, who held a cellphone near her.

She was rather silent, as the kid next to her, likley her brother nodded. "Thank you." he told Samuru. "Here Mayu." he told the younger of them, as she took a drink of the water. "Mayu was traumatized from the battle a week or so ago." the guy told him.

"I see. I'm sorry for what has happened to the two of you." he told the kid.

"Thank you. By the way, the name is Shinn, Shinn Asuka." he told the clone.

"Samuru, Samuru Joule." the clone told the teen.

That was a woman, with dark red hair came up behind him. "Samuru, correct?" she asked, causing the clone to skip a heart beat.

"Whoa, what the Flay!" he asked in pure shock.

* * *

Meanwhile a short while later:

Samorei, and Mina walked towards the primary hangar, where the Izumo was located, along with many other mobile suits of the Astray series. At the observation window, Samorei saw those of the Sword Calamity and Raider Full Spec. "There they are." he notioned, seeing the two mobile suits, as a third was being unloaded from the Izumo. It was a Dark blue moible suit, which looked much like the X252 Forbidden. Sam took notice, mainly because back at Orb, he faught the forbidden, remembering its pilot. "Shani." Sam notioned, as Mina looked at him.

"Shani? The pilot of the Forbidden?" she asked him, as all he did was nod.

"Yeah. . ." Sam began. "Another victim of the Earth Forces." Sam continued.

"Just what do you mean by that?" she asked.

Sam turned to her. "Well, I told you, of when I met him, but here is the thing. He was able to match me in combat, not many can pull such a thing off, especially with Kira, on the same side as I am." he added in.

Mina just smirked at that. "You know that Kira is not that great you know." she told him.

Sam just added another smirk with that. "Listen Mina, you haven't faught side by side with Kira, like I have. But when we fight side by side, I feel, that there is something deeper about him. Just think about it." he began turning to her again. "A student at a computer college, with no Military Background, beside being the brother of Cagalli. But other then that, he never faught in a mobile armor, let alone a mobile suit." he completed.

"Just what are you getting at?" she asked.

"Well, Kira, an untrained soldier, gets in a mobile suit, and all of a sudden, has been able to fight of ZAFT red Coats, like my brother, and even Athrun upon just sitting in the mobile suit?" he asked her, as that did get Mina thinking. Kira was indeed more of something, that she never comprehended. "At first, I actually had mobile suit training, and still had a hard time against Yzak and the others, but Kira, for lack of his training, he should be dead by now, not piloting the new ZGMF model." he finished.

Mina nodded. "I see what your getting at."

"And there is a whole lot more." Came the same voice that spoke to Samuru. Revealing, a woman, that looked much like Flay, however older, more of the age, that would comprehend that she was her relative.

"F. . . Flay!" Sam said in shock.

"No." Samuru said coming from behind the woman. "This Sam, is Ayya." Samuru told him.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Ghina's office, he got a transmission from Ptolemaeus Lunar Base. "Yes, what is it?" Ghina asked, as Azrael's face appeared on the monitor.

"_Now now, is that how you should speak to your own ally._" Azrael told him, as he sat in the main office of the Earth Alliances main space stronghold.

"Just what is it this time Azrael?" Ghina asked, as he had his back turned to the monitor, so all Azrael could see, was the back of the chair.

"_Oh nothing much Rondo, besides that, we have a target for you to attack._" Azrael informed him. "_It is a group of four Nazca Destroyers." _He began. "_They are transports, of some of ZAFT's latested mobile weapons, and quite likley having information, on the two machines that are thought to be Nuclear powered. And I want them." _Azrael told him.

"Alright, send me the information, I will see to this task myself Azrael." Ghina told him, as Azrael nodded.

"_See to it that you do, and make sure, you get the intel I want from those ships!_" Azrael told him. With that, the monitor went black.

"Such a fool." Ghina mocked, as he turned around in his seat. "If only he was not so blinded by his hatred for the coordinators, he would surely know that, Me and my sister, are both one." he commented on it, as that was when a small alarm began to go off. "What now?" he asked himself.

* * *

Outside, Ame No Mihashira began to send out its defences, as the Umbrella of Artemis began to take shape around the station. As in the hangar, Samorei looked up, after listening to an intrigueing story from lady Ayya Allster. "Just what i s going on?" Sam asked no one, as he jumped towards the Nosferatu, catching the cockpits edge along the way. He was in full suit, as a few of the Space Variant of the M1's began launching into space, to fight the oncoming threat. As he sat in his seat, Mina was in the command center of the space station. "What is going on, what is attacking us?" Sam asked through the radio.

A soldier replied, to Sam's question. "_We are detecting one Lauraisia class Frigate, and two mobile suits One ZGMF-1017 GINN, and, no way._" the com officer began, as Mina took a look at it as well.

"_Is this right?" _She asked, as Sam could still hear them.

"_Yes mam_." the guy told her.

"_Sam, becareful out there, the MBF-P03 Blue Frame is out there, and it is equipped with some new equipment, compared to its original state._" Mina told him, with a small bit of panic in her voice.

"Blue, so it is still functioning." Sam said, as the Linear catapult began to launch the Jade Frame's own upgraded form, as though it was a Nazca class destroyer. "Samorei, Jade Frame Nosferatu, taking off." Sam called out, as the Jade Frame took flight.

With the launch, several of the M1A's formed on their prototype's wing. "Alright, know this, they are not of ZAFT, the blue Frame has been known as a Mercenary Mobile suit now, so they are of neither side." Sam explained to the other pilots.

* * *

Lauraisa Frigate:

The head of the bridge looked as he saw the station with its shield up. "Hmm, Euraisian technology." Reed Wheeler, commented, as he saw the shield. "The Impregnable shield." he added in.

A woman brown haired woman behind him nodded. She wore an old Earth Forces uniform, much like her leader, and the one in the commanders chair. "Remember, to hold your fire, until they open up, or when the Shields go down, remember, they don't have Nuclear power like us." Loretta told them, as the cannons of the Firgate locked onto the station.

"Are we sure about that?" Reed asked her. "Remember, we were asked to test out the bugs of that dreadnought machine, and well, that actually had a Nuclear Engine within it." he told her.

"Yes, but that is ZAFT technology. We don't know for sure, if the Earth Forces, or the Sahaku's have gotten their hands on it." She answered him.

"I see." Reed began. "Gai, Elijah you both getting this?" he asked the intercom, as silver haired pilot, and a brown haired, pilot with orange sunglasses nodded.

"_Loud and clear." _Elijah answered.

"_Understood._" Gai added in. "It also seems that they are planning to fight back, I am detecting multiple M1 Astray Mobile suits from the station." Gai informed them. "It also seems that the fourth prototype is among them." he also added.

With that, a small section of the shield went down. "Hmm, something is not right." Gai notioned, as Reed just smiled from the ship.

"All Weapons, open fire!" he called out, as the ship moved into position.

"Hold it, evade instead, massive energy build up!" Loretta called.

"Break formation!" Gai called out, as his Blue Frame Second L, went in one direction, as did Elijah's Customed GINN went the other.

That was when two large columns of purple and white energy barely went past the Frigate. "Incoming Mobile suits!" Loretta called out, as beam fire from the M1A's began to engulf the area. For being long ranged sniper type mobile suits, their rifles were doing just what they could do. For having the same range as Ship grade beam cannons. Samorei, himself, kicked on the thrusters, heading for the incoming targets. "Incoming the Jade Frame!" Loretta called out.

* * *

Gai took notice, as he saw the machine, and had the Blue Frame tighten its grip on the giant sword it held. "Elijah, take care of the M1's, leave the Jade Frame to me." Gai ordered, as the Blue Frame raced towards the Jade Frame, as Elijah and his GINN went for the M1's.

"Alright, lets go!" Elijah called out, as he opened fire with his heavy assault Machine gun.

Sam raced for the enemy squad, as he noticed the Blue Frame coming towards him, with a Kinetic weapon. "Oh, no you don't!" Sam told him, drawing a beam saber from his shoulder, in his machines clawed hand. Gai noticed this as well, and moved his sword in his left hand, while grabbing one of his mobile suits beam sabers. With this, the two pillars of fire, interlocked each other. For the first time, Sam's machine met face to face, with one of the other prototypes, by fighting against it.

Gai looked into the Nosferatu's three eyes, as they peered into the Blue Frames own two eyes. "This is Gai Murakamo, tell me am I fighting the legendary White Devil?" he asked.

Sam appeared shock, as his opponent called him that. As many did know, since his trip to Lodonia when he was eight years old, Sam became known as the White Devil. "What is it to you?" Sam asked, as the Jade Frame, broke away from the Blue Frame. The Jade Frame, Quickly discarded the shield, it was only a borrowed one, from one of the M1 Astrays, with it, the Jade Frame grabbed the other saber, and connected both, to create a beam staff, and freeing the clawed arm, so it could act like its shield. Gai kept both sword, and saber ready as he charged again. Do to zero gravity in space, the use of the overside sword, could be used in a single hand, as could the beam saber. The two machines came in, as the beam saber stopped the staffs attack to the cockpit.

Gai then raised the larger sword, which went for a cleaving blow to the Jade Frame. However, it caught the large blade, with its Maga-no-Ikutachi defence shield/claw, a small upgrade since arriving at Ame No Mihashira. It removed the need for a anti beam shield. The Shield was hit hard by the massive blade, namely do to the inertia and mass of the sword. The only thing that stopped it from being shattered was the Phase Shift Armor that the arm had.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elijah, dodged a beam attack from a M1A and opened fire with the machine gun. The M1 was hit by many high velocity bullets, turning the machine into swiss cheese before it detonated. "Gai, are you ok?" he asked, as he could see the two Prototype Astrays dukeing it out, with parries, strikes, and beam fire from the Jade Frame. Elijah has taken down a good amount of M1's, as he has more experience over the M1 pilots. He then took off towards a M1, which fired, but Elijah easily dodged the attacks, and came right at the M1. Using the large horn like blade on his machines head, he used the back of the blade, which was the sharper edged part of it, to severe the Torso of the M1.

* * *

Inside the hangar, Rondo Ghina Sahaku, was floating towards his machine. As with that, both the Sword Calamity, and Raider Full Spec, got ready for launch themselves. "_Ghina what are you up to?_" Mina asked from the command station.

"Something you would want, I'm defending this station." Ghina told her, as he smirked, as he turned his radio off. "For all you know anyways." he added.

First to launch was the Sword Calamity, with its clone pilot. It sped through the opening of the stations shield, and went right for the Jade Frame's opponent.

"What?" Gai asked, as he saw it. He easily dodged the initial attack of the Scylla chest cannon of the mobile suit.

"That machine." Sam took note, as he knew it was a gift to Ghina. However, the Sword Calamity, had no reason to attack the Jade Frame, so it bared its anti ship sword, and charged for Gai. Gai easily dodged, as his head vulcans opened fire on the machine. The Black Calamity was hit by every bullet, but had now efffect, do to the armor. However, some dents were seen on its chest.

"So, TPA is vulnerable to high firing rates." Gai and Sam both took note of it. However, Gai smiled at it. "My turn." Gai began, as he pointed his Giant sword at the Sword Calamity. "Take this!" he called out, as the Sword Split in two, and seemed to form a stand for what came next. The barrel of a machine gun emerged, and all this happened within seconds. That was when the sword let out, a large burst of machine gun fire, hitting the Sword Calamity in many areas, hitting it hard and furious.

That was when the Raider Full Spec, fired a pair of King Cobra missiles at the machine. Sam floated back, so he could observe the two mobile suits in action. Unknown to him however, the AMATU was behind him, under Mirage Colloid, watching as well, as to his 'equipment' can actually do. Since he did not see their failure against the Kusanagi. The Blue Frame dodged the pair of missiles, and used the Gatling gun on the Raider Full spec which was getting in closer. However, after a short burst, the machine went down, and tried to cut through the cockpit with its claws. However they never did. The reason was, that the Blue Frame, had a small phase shift generator, which was used to protect the cockpit. Gai, having his cockpit captured by the Raider, took it by the wings, with both hands, and had his CIWs, open fire wildly at point blank range. The TPA did its thing to protect the machine, however its power was running low.

"Pathetic." Ghina notioned, as Sam caught a glimpse of the moving machine, from the blurry stars in the background. That was when the AMATU appeared, and went right for Gai. Ghina fired a pair of lancer darts at the machine, but Gai dodged them, and cut them in half with the newly reformed weapon.

"There you are." Gai said, as that signified, he wanted to speak with Ghina driectly.

"Hmhm, I'm honored that you have been looking for me." Ghina told him, as with the Trikeros new look, of a sharpened edge, rather then a beam saber, connected with the giant sword. "Samorei! Go after their ship!" Ghina ordered.

Even though Sam did not like it, he complied, as his thrusters took off towards the Laurasia frigate. "Elijah, stop the Jade Frame!" Gai called out, as the GINN took notice. With that, his thrusters went into overdrive, as he went right for the Jade Frame.

Ghina, and Gai, continued to dodge each other, it seemed the two were evenly matched in their machines. As Elijah went for Sam. "Oh no you don't." He called out, as he brought out his sword.

Even with this attack, Sam did not go for the kill of this pilot, instead, he drew a phase shift equipped Magashira-no-Hoko Spears. He brought it up in time, as the Heavy Sword of the GINN connected to the Spear. "Stop this, just retreat." Sam told him. Even though Elijah was a good pilot, he never noticed what came next, as the Jade Frames Right arm, grabbed a hold of the GINN.

Elijah instantly noticed what was going on, as his machines battery began to nearly run empty. Sam's machine used much of its energy during its first attack, that with this move, it could drain all the energy from the GINN.

In the Frigate, Loretta saw this. "Elijah's GINN is almost out of power!" she called, as Reed saw it on screen, seeing the Jade Frame, doing what its name Nosferatu meant. It was acting as a vampire, and draining the energy from the mobile suit, for itself.

"Gai, we need to retreat, otherwise, Elijah wont be able to make it." Reed told his leader, as Gai took notice.

"Damn." He said, as his machine broke away, from the clash it had with the Gold Frame. "Listen Rondo Ghina Sahaku, this attack, is just a message, from Erica Simmons, and she is no longer following your orders, and is now working for the true ruler of Orb." Ghina told him, as the Blue Frame turned, and began to head for Elijah.

Sam knew he was heading for him, so he kicked the GINN off, and as it floated there, the Blue Frame took it, as the Lauraisia banked starboard, and began to head away from the station. Sam, Ghina, and a few astrays, watched as the ship began to leave.

Ghina then turned, and went back for his space fortress. While Sam kept an eye on the ship, and then turned as well. He was impressed, with how strong the Blue Frame has come, since its initial creation.

* * *

The two mobile Astray Frames, were the last to touch down on the station. Even though Sam knew of Ghina's plans, to turn on him, at a time like that would have been suicide.

The cockpits of both machines opened, as the two pilots, who wore nearly identical flight suits, just that both of them wore the colors of their respective suits, and Sam took his helmet off, after the depressorization of the hangar. "That was rather impressive out there, for a common soldier." Ghina told Sam as the two floated over to each other. "Much more then what I expected of the White Devil." he added in.

Sam just smirked at the compliment, something that is one does not get often from Ghina Sahaku. "Why Thank you, I think." Sam told him.

Ghina just smiled at that. "Well, from your skills, I want your machine loaded onto the Izumo, immediately." he ordered Sam, who just got a confused look.

"What why?" he asked, as Ghina grimaced a little, as he then thought of a reason.

He turned to Sam, one more time. "Easy, our food is getting low, for having the Orb civilians aboard, we are going to be pirates, and get use some." he told the Jade Frame pilot.

Sam was confused, but Ghina did prove a point, is that the station was going through its food sources, and military rations, faster then it was built for. "Ok, M'lord." Sam told him with a bow, as he then went over to Nicol, who was working on the Gold Frame. Ghina made him, a head mechanic for some reason of that machine. Namely do to the machine, and the Blitz were similar. "Hey Nicol." Sam called after him, as he floated over to the green haired youth.

"Oh, hey Sam." Nicol said a little surprised, as he went over the clip board sized datapad. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I'd like you to take the Jade Frame, to the technology, and tell them to put the new TMC, onto the Jade Frame." he told the green haired coordinator.

"Uh sure." He said, heading to the Jade Frame.

"Don't worry, the Engineers, will know what you mean." Sam told him, as he then, looked at the control rooms window, not to far from him, as Nicol climbed into the Jade Frame, and took it to the technology engineering. Sam floated by the hatch of the control room, and went in. "Mina." Sam began, as she turned to the one she was involved with.

"What is it Sam?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea why your brother is telling me, to get ready to move out?" he asked her.

She nodded, a bit ashamed. She then turned to the soldier, who was loyal to her, well the entire room was to her, and Orb. "Please, show the video feed my brother got before the battle." she ordered, as a soldier did.

A short time passed, as they watched it. "It seems, Lord Sahaku, has some ties, with Blue Cosmos." Ayya exclaimed as she was in the room as well. The next thing they heared, was flesh meeting metal, as Sam slammed a fist on the wall. "That is nothing to get angry about right now. I don't think he has any intention of handing over the White Devil." Ayya told him.

Mina turned to her, with a confused look. "Why do you say that?" Mina asked, and then it dawned on her. "Wait, are you trying to say, that Sam, is an asset to Ghina's plans for world domination?" she asked, as Ayya nodded.

Sam, had a stern look in his eye, as he came over. "Is this true?" he asked her, as Ayya just nodded. "So, our targets, are the four Nazca's, and its for more, then just supplies." Sam nodded.

Mina, nodded, with something of a tear in her eye. But she just shook it off. "We should just go with his plans for now. But, if something goes wrong." she began, as she went to Sam's ear. And she whispered something, as Sam looked at her, with a bit of shock in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked, as all she did was nod.

* * *

A few hours later, Nicol, had finished loading the Jade Frame on the Izumo, which was followed by, both the Raider, and Sword Calamity onto the Izumo, as did the Gold Frame being added on. The ships occupants, began to load up, along with a few covert ops soldiers, namely men, who are to be sent aboard the ships, to gather the data, and supplies, which were all ordered by Ghina Sahaku. Sam, floated over to the hatch, as Mina was not far behind him. "Be careful out there Sam." she told him, as he nodded. He took a hold of her hand, and nodded.

"I'll come back. I promise." he told her, with a nod, and a smile, as he then went on the ship. A short while later, the Hangar was abuzz, as all its Prototype machines, was loaded onto the ship, except for the Forbidden look alike, which was determined as an amphibious prototype mobile suit. The Izumo though, in its dormant state, its engines began to fire up, as the ship began to move out of the stations hangar, into the endless sky, towards its targets. The Nazca Destroyer ships the _Amzen_, _Rembrandt_, _Gansback_ and _Bonstell_.

* * *

A/N: another chapter down, Ayya Allster, has been introduced, and before anyone questions, this woman, IS Flay's mother.

People, may be even questioning, what TMC stands for, but only a select few readers may know of it, if they remember. But, it will be shown at the first of the next chapter, as it will be split, with Sam and Ghina, to the Canon cast, at Mendel.

Also, the Nazca's that are to be attacked, can be seen in several type of ways. In the Magna, they are the ships destroyed by Ghina, in his AMATU. While for those, who don't go with the Magna that well, they are instead can be seen, (Well only 3 of them) Can be seen, in Rondo Ghina Sahaku's mission, in Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Never Ending Tomorrow So in other words, those four ships, are not mine.

Also, one last thing, as this will likley be the last chap I post, before Christmas, so Merry Christmas, and for those Jewish, and Messiac Jews out there, hag ha-noo-KAH sa-MEY-ah. (Happy Hannukah, as I learned from SeXysangokittygrl05)

So, until next time, everyone have a good one, and happy holidays.


	33. Chapter 33: The Fall

Chapter 33: The Fall

* * *

The Izumo was definitely on course, as Sam looked through one window. The ship was on course, to ambush a ZAFT supply convoy. He did not like such a thing at all, as he continued to look out. A day ago, back at the station, he learned of many things, that he was not overly happy about, and other things, confused him even more. "Ulen Hibiki, what was he up to?" he asked himself, as he looked at his laptop.

It was playing music, from a band known as High and Mighty Color. Music he liked himself, and also on the screen, was data of something called the TMC. From a Horizontal view, it was saying that, as he continued to watch the mobile suit on the screen. It was Nosferatu of course, as he ran some simulatoins of the system a short while ago.

Since he left Ame No Mihashira, he has been looking out the window, and has been in his room, contiplating on everything. Especially, with what Mina whispered in his ear, a few hours before he boarded the ship.

That was when a knock came on the door. "Excuse me, may I come in?" came Ayya's voice. She as well was assigned to the ship. Her past, is that of a biological engineer, and likely fluent in Medical science, so she was pronounced the doctor of the ship.

"Come in." Sam notioned, as Ayya came in. Sam motioned to the bunk ahead of him. Like most of Archangel's rooms, they were small with multiple bunks, and Sam was lucky enough to get one room to himself. Ayya, sat in the bed across from him. "So, what brings you here?" Sam asked her, as he turned the music off from his laptop.

"I wanted to continue to tell you about my daughter." she began.

* * *

Mendel Colony:

Two days, passed, sine the Eternal made it to Mendel. It was good, that it actually brought, some more help, in a ship, and mobile suit, along with supplies for the group. The three ships, were kept in one hangar, as M1 Astrays, and M1B's littered the area, along with the Strike. Each getting use to space operations in a mobile suit. All being green in such combat. If they had to face ZAFT, which has a higher probability now, do to the Eternal arriving, and those people actually trained in space.

They were just lucky, that the Earth Forces Mobile suit corp, is just as green as they are, in space combat. And the three ship alliance, has a crew of ZAFT red Coats, and The Freedom's pilot on their side. Ahmed, was training for Zero gravity, as his M1B grabbed a crate. Sure he had some experience, during the last battle, but he was still green, and he would be the first to admit it.

Inside, the Eternal, Athrun, wearing a sling, from the after effect of his fathers shot. Watched the Freedom through the observation window. However, not far from him, Allenby came into the area. "So, the famous Athrun Zala, in a sling, something I would not think of seeing." She notioned, as she came beside him.

"Hello Allenby," Athrun said peering out the window.

"Thinking of your father?" she asked, as he nodded. "I remember his old self. But revenge has clouded him." she told him.

Athrun nodded, as he looked at her. "Yeah. Ever since mom died, he has been obsessed with this war." he told her. "And now, he is planning total eradication." he commented, looking over to the Archangel. "Of the naturals." he added in.

Meanwhile: Archangel Bridge

"The colony was abandoned because of some kind of biohazard threat, right?" Waltfeld was saying to La Flaga, as they made their way to the _Archangel_'s Bridge. "That might be why this is more intact than the rest of the colonies."

"Yeah, I remember the Mendel Incident pretty well," La Flaga agreed.

"We have brought supplies, from the PLANTs for your ships, up to, and including repair parts, for the Freedom, and Justice." Waltfeld added in.

"Yeah; makes it a perfect place to pitch our tents."

With that, Kira, and Cagalli entered the bridge. "Our primary concern should be probably be the Moon," Lacus began without preamble. For being a peaceful songtress, she was already ready to take charge, and was smarter, then what her peaceful nature suggested, in the arts of war.

"Since they recaptured Victoria, the Earth Forces have been continuously launching troops into space."

La Flaga, having drifted over to Ramius, nodded thoughtfully. "Think they're preparing to attack the PLANTs directly?"

"There are a lot of people in their forces who've always wanted to do it," Waltfeld concurred. "'For the preservation of our blue and pure world'."

"Blue Cosmos." Natarle snarled, even though she was military to the core of her family. The things Blue Cosmos has done, left a distasteful taste in her mouth.

The Desert Tiger shrugged. "Hey, they're the ones saying it, not me."

La Flaga looked slightly sheepish. "I know, but... you're right."

"I don't see how eradicating all Coordinators would lead to a pure world." Waltfeld snorted. "I don't even know what a 'pure world' _is_. But I can't blame the PLANTs for fighting back, after being attacked for such a ludicrous reason."

"But my father... Chairman Zala is taking it way too far," Athrun came onto the bridge, with Allenby behind him. He stopped beside Kira as Allenby went beside Kira, rather closely. "He's going for the opposite extreme."

"We can still fight back," Ramius said, taking La Flaga's arm. "We must at least try to put an end to it, even if it costs us our lives."

"For a brighter future." Flaga agreed, as he looked around. "Even though we are absolutely crazy."

"Crazy, is putting it mildly." Natarle added in.

Lacus looked first at Cagalli, then at Kira. "In every era, there are those like us, who seek to put an end to such meaningless strife. Don't you want to bring about an era where that isn't necessary?"

Kira smiled. "You bet."

"That is harder said then done though Lacus." Allenby pointed out. "Human Nature, is self preservation." she added in.

Lacus, however, looked sternly at the pair. "Don't you believe in giving peace a chance? One day, we can end war. Forever."

"I wish, that could be true." Allenby said, feeling her arm. "But, throughout history, wars have been faught, from Civil Wars, to the world wars, to now." she explained. "Conflicting opinions will happen all the time." she told her. "Even opinions that can lead to blood shed." she finished.

Cagalli, looked away, as she knew what Allenby spoke is true.

* * *

For the next few days, Mendel was uneventful, however with the Izumo, their operation was about to begin. The pilots were gathered on the bridge, as was Ghina. "This mission is of up-most important." Ghina told them. "However, I want only two of us, to go in to mobile suit combat. The rest of you, are to act as the infiltration team." he told them.

Sam, looked a bit confused at the announcement. "So who are the two pilots?" he asked, as Ghina eyed the man.

"That Samorei Joule, will be the pilots, of the Astray Prototypes." he told him. Sam was a bit surprised, at that.

"While the rest of you, are to take a shuttle, armed with weapons, and board, this ship. The Gansback, is the said ship that carrys the things we need." he told them, pointing at a quadrant map. In the center was the Izumo, colored yellow. While he points to the far right corner. "This is our target." he showed, pointing to the middle blip. "The other three are of no importance Sam, do to them, what you see fit." he told him.

"The Operation will start, when we reach just outside their sensor range." he said, as a circle appeared, inside being darker. He pointed just outside of the radius of the sensors. "Here, the Izumo will stop, as Sam and I clear the way, to the Gansbak." he explained. "This is our operation, pure and simple. Get what we need, then we leave, if anyone gets in your way, destroy them." he finished.

Sam had a sour feeling in the pit of his stomach because of this. This was just not right, and he knew why, in some ways. It may have supplies, but if it was only that, two Nazca's would do. Not a squadron. However, he had his orders, and went for the hangar.

Upon moments, with the compartment idea of the Izumo, Sam was floating towards the Nosferatu's cockpit. Not far behind him, Ghina was floating towards the AMATU. Both hit their seats at the same time, settleing down into them. Sam, strapped himself, into the machine, as the cockpit closed infront of him, his systems began to come online. Unknown to most, but after the battle of Orb, he has kept a picture taken from the Mansion of Mina, in a red dress. Weird even though, it was her, so he kept it. He takes the harnest, and straps in, and then placing his helmet on his head, and sealed it.

"_Hmhmhmhm, So Sam, you ready to fight alongside the AMATU?_" Ghina asked through the radio. Sam, did not really looks, at Ghina, as he was hitting the proper switches of the machine.

"Quite Possibly." Sam replied. He flexed his arms a bit, and then settled them on the controls of the mobile suit. "You ready to fight along side, the Nosferatu, and the White Devil?" he asked, his boss.

"_Hmhmhmhm_" Ghina replied to that, as his machine was getting ready to launch. Below, a group of eight soldiers, climbed into a small shuttle, that was more like an escape pod. Sam remembered, it was to be escorted by Sam, while Ghina kept the GINNs busy.

"_Clear the shuttle's path, shuttle prep for launch._" The announcement was called, as the shuttle got ready, with the launching doors opened. Within moments the shuttle launched, as then the AMATU, got into position for launch. "_Path is clear m'lord, you are clear for launch_" the announcement called, as the AMATU, took off.

The Nosferatu was then next, as the two protos were to fly in this mission. Sam got his machine ready. "_Jade Frame, your path is clear, launch when ready."_ The mobile suit statistic observer told Sam.

"Roger that. Nosferatu heading out." Sam called out, as his machine launched. Immediately, Sam saw both the Shuttle, and AMATU cloak, as it seemed Ghina had the shuttle equipped with mirage colloid. Sam smirked at that, as he hit his thrusters, his job, was to begin the attack, so they are unable to find the shuttle. He got the beam rifle ready, and raced in towards the four Nazca's.

The Closest one being the Amzen, and with it, Sam targeted the ships port sides long range beam cannon. With it, he opened fire, sending a line of emerald fire, at the ship. The ships crew was caught by surprise, as the beam cannon was no longer able to function, and an explosion was seen on the bow of the ship. The other three ships, along with Amzen began to go into combat situations. 

"They must know I am here now." Sam told himself, as he engaged the thrusters racing for the ships. The First GINN launched from the Amzen, as it did not have much combat time, as a beam from the Nosferatu's rifle left a sizzled hole of melted metal in the upper torso of the mobile suit. Sam knew that if it was the Freedom or Justice, the pilot would be dead instantly. However for the GINN the pilot died in the resulting explosion. It also damaged the catapult mechanism of the ship. Slowing down its rate of Mobile weapons launches. However that was not the same for the other ships, as Three GINNs appeared from behind the large compartment of the Nazca of the Starboard side. Machine guns blazing at the Nosferatu. Sam immediately put the thrusters in reverse to dodge the incoming kinetic fire. With it, on both hips of the Nosferatu, snapped up both of its beam cannons, much like Freedoms Railguns, however fired a pair of beams from them, one beam hit straight into the cockpit of a GINN but the other one missed completely.

Sam easily dodged the incoming CGUE's Heavy Sword from behind him. In a quick reflex however, the left Knee of the Nosferatu smashed into the chest cavity of the mobile suit. With this, the Spear on the right hand side, came off and was grabbed by the right hand of the mobile suit. Upon grabbing it, Sam thrusted the Spear right into the back of the CGUE.

Another GINN came from above them, as Sam went down dodge its Heavy Sword. With a quick flick of the wrist, Sam moved the Impaled CGUE, with the cable the machine had. With some force, Sam had the CGUE smash into the GINN, and had the Spear return before the Resulting Explosion of the two units. Spear in the right hand, and a beam rifle in the left, the Mobile suit moved out of the way of more machine gun fire from behind. And behind it, were two more GINNs. Which then faided out of existance, as two beams fired through both of the cockpits. It was Ghina in the AMATU firing the old Blitz's beam rifle from the Trikeros. "_Ahahahaha! The terror of AMATU, savor it as you die!_" Ghina laughed, as he turned the right arm towards another GINN and impaled it with one of the Trikero's Lancer Darts. The eyes glowed Green almost as though the Machine itself was having fun.

Sam paid no mind about it, besides how much Ghina was loving the death of Sam's old comrades. Sam had the rest of the cable of the Spear retract at that moment, and drew both Beam sabers from his machines shoulder holsters. Both beams ignited into frozen pillars. Sam made a Beline towards the Rembradt, with both Beam Sabres Blazing, as the mobile suit came right towards the ship. With this however, he went to the port side of the ship, and plunged the Beam Sabers into the compartment on that side. It was easily severed from the ship, as with a pair of GINNs behind it. Sam sliced one of them right through the cockpit with one of the beam sabers. The other escaped for only a moment, as both beam cannons snapped into position and fired, one beam for the Nazca's Engines, and the other severing the leg of the GINN.

Ghina however, was under Mirage Colloid once again, and racing towards a GINN. However rather then destroying it, one of the claws from the mobile suits back, latched around the neck of the GINN. It appeared visible within moments, and fired the Trikeros at the two others of the small squad. The GINNs turned into blazing fireballs, as the AMATU's battery recharged. "Why must I sully my hands with these lowly commoners? JUST DIE!" He called out, letting go of the GINN and then slicing it Vertically in half with the sharpened edge of the Trikeros.

However with Sam, he may not be able to disabled mobile suits, but he sure could disable the ships, and he showed how, heading to the Starboard side of the Nazca he severed. He fired a tri beam attack, from hip mounted weapons, and the beam rifle. The hip mounted weapons took out the two railguns on top of the ship not far from the bridge, as the beam rifle severed the Beam Cannon from the ship.

However, the away team, had managed to actually enter the Gansbak, and began to take over from the inside out. And it showed signs, as the ship was taken over, with one of the Beam Cannons being shot from the underside of the Amzen, taking out the mobile suit hangar and the bridge, in just one shot of the cannon. Sam gasped at the shot, as it was taken over with ease and quickly. "Ghina, the Gansback is ours!" Sam told him, as he went under the Rembrandt and blasted the other beam cannon with the beam rifle. Disabling the ship, besides its missile launchers, however half of those were gone thanks to Sam severing their launch area.

Ghina on the otherhand, Fired a beam right into the bridge of the Bonstell, causing a chain reaction in destroying the ship completely. Out of everything, only the Mobile suits were left, and that was half of what the ships had. While the Gansback was under their control. While at that moment though, Sam ignited a beam saber again, and flew by the other missile compartment area, melting it away with the saber. However with that, Sam was shouldered by a CGUE, and with the way the machine was built, the machine was hit hard.

Sam though was not like them as he regained control, and twisted around, and fired a shot of the beam rifle right into the mono eye of the mobile suit. And unlike the Lupus Beam rifle of the freedoms, this shot sent through the mobile suit electrical problems, having the Machine destroyed from inside out.

The Gansback's VLS (Vertical Launching System) missile silos opened up, and fired, many of them taking out surrounding mobile suits, totaling five GINNs taken out. Now, out of the initial twenty four machines, only six remained. Ghina knew of this, as his Trikeros impaled another GINN. With this GINN however, Ghina moved it between him, and an oncoming GINN machine gun fire. He used the GINN's body as a shield, and with it, aimed the GINN and fired, with a beam from the Trikeros went through the Torso of both Machines. The Amatu easily kicked the GINN off the arm before it detonated itself. "Pathetic." Ghina commented, as his machine began to scan for another Enemy.

Sam on the otherhand, had three in his sights. With a Beam Saber drawn in the left hand, the Nosferatu went right for the machines. They were easy pickings however, as the saber scorched right on through the lower torso of the First GINN. The Next one however caught a lucky break, as the claw on the right arm opened up, capturing the GINN by the head. The Last GINN tried to save his comrade, however Sam turned his machine around in a spin, and had both of the cannons snap into position again, both only having one target this time. Both Beams went right through the main torso of the machine, having it detonate.

However, with the Captured Machine, he began to absorb the energy within, it, to replenish his machines energy. Ghina on the other hand, captured the last CGUE, and absorbed its energy. But unlike Sam who let his GINN float towards the last Ship, Ghina released his, and fired on the mobile suit. Sam Sighed some relief a bit, as he looked over to the AMATU. "Ghina, mission complete, all mobile suits are taken out, the Gansback is ours." Sam radioed.

Ghina nodded, as he looked over to the ship. "Right Joule." Ghina said with a smirk, as he changed frequency to the ship, as he smirked one last time. "Away team, begin operation Raze Lucifer" Ghina told them, smirking.

Sam heard it but was a bit confused, however when his alert system began to go off, he knew what he ment, as the remaining Nazca's weapons, began to target the Nosferatu.

* * *

Mendel Colony:

Events have been fluent for the colony, as Supplies were being sorted, of the now group called the three ships alliance. Events of mobile weapon compliments were also being sorted. As Murrue, was meeting with the main commanders of the ships, along with Waltfeld. Kira, and Athrun have also joined them, to assort with such matters as well. Murrue then got down to the final bit of buisness they were all going for. "If the Eternal was designed to support the Freedom and Justice." she said to the Eternal's higher ups, "We will transfer both Machines to the ship." she told them turning to Kira and Athrun. "Is this alright with the both of you?" she asked.

Athrun and Kira both nodded in agreement. "Right." Kira told her. "I'll take the Freedom to it in do time." he told her. Lacus nodded to the agreement.

"While we keep the Grunts Orb and Ame No Mihashira has given us, along with the Strike, Buster, and the Duel." She finished.

"That sounds good." Waltfeld began. "Besides, if we didn't do it this way, the only mobile suit we would have would be the Salvation." he putted in. While Allenby couldn't join them, as she was helping with the supplies, and getting more use to space combat again. Being in a Gravity Well could really halter Space battle capabilities. Especially when the pilot has been on the Planet for nearly a year.

* * *

However, unknown to them, their R and R, was beginning to draw to a close, as another small group of a three ship alliance was beginning to draw closer. And what was worst, is that they were something familiar to the Archangel, and her crew. In fact, the reason is, is because the three ships, were infact the siblings of the Archangel. The sister ships, one was a ship of the same color as the original however in reverse. Where white was seen on the original, the main body on the original was white, however on this ship, it was pure red, while where the Red was, is actually white. This ship, was the one known as the Archai (Pronounced: Ark'ai), and its captain, was someone who has seen many days of combat. His stern face showed such as it was. He was bald, and had a birth mark on his head, over his left eye. He was once the commander of the sixth fleet of the Earth Alliance, Rear Admiral Gerry Glaeser; however, is now Captain of the Archangel Class ship, the Archai.

To its far left, past the black ship, was a dark purple replacing the originals white, and black replacing the red. Within the ship, on the captains chair, was one of the highest members of Blue Cosmos, William Sutherland, who now controlled the ship known as the Dynames (Pronounced: Dy'na'mess). In the middle of these two massively powered ships, was their leader, the Black and Red version of the Archangel, the Dominion. Its Captain, is an old acquaintance, of the Rogue ships captain.

The man in the captains chair, had short dark blonde hair. He is rather tall, and looked rather intelligent, however young, as though in his early twenties. His uniform bore the marks of Captain, next to the two others, he was the lowest rank, however he had superiority, do to the man beside him. Muruta Azrael, sat a few feet away from him, was the cause of such an 'honor' for the captain. "So, the Mendel Colony." the man began. "Such an interesting place to take up hiding." he began, as on the two monitors above him, on both sides showed the faces of the other captains.

"_Well put Wiel, and might I add it is an honor to be commander of the most powerful ship of the Earth Alliance's next to the famous son, of Rear Admiral Halberton."_ Glaeser notioned.

"_Quit kissing up to him Glaeser_." Sutherland began.

"Quite." Azrael began. "So are you sure this is where they are located?" he began, as not far behind them, was another ship. A Nelson class ship, retrofitted with beam weaponry, and also sported four machines attached to its hull, two were red Long Daggers, while the other two, were the mobile armor forms of both the Wing Gundam, along with the Voyager Gundam.

"_Trust me Azrael, I have my sources of this is where they are."_ Came Banken's voice. And this source he spoke of, was in fact the Sahaku's. Namily Ghina.

"He is right director Azrael." The fire control officer informed them. "Three Warship Silhouettes detected inside the colony's harbor." he told them. "One is Convirmed to be the Archangel." he told them.

"_Three!" _Banken said a bit surprised. "_Well well, I guess our numbers are even then, as I will be sitting this battle out, so my job is done._" Banken told them. With that, the single Nelson class ship, vanished under Mirage Colloid, a feature that Banken insisted his ship was accommodated with.

"_Director, are we really just going to let him leave us like this?_" Sutherland asked Azrael.

"_Why not Sutherland, Michaelski has proven his worth for us._" Glaeser commented.

"It doesn't matter to me, as long as I get either one of those two machines." Arzael told each of them. "Begin the attack, captain." he suddly told young Halberton.

"Yes Director." Wiel began, as he looked at the ship.

While as this happened, Banken infact had went ahead of them, but not in the line of fire. "The place of my birth. Lets see if Kira can find his true origins, where he and I, are connected." he said in a small laugh.

* * *

However, back with Sam, He barely dodged an attack from the Gansback's Beam cannon. He quickly brought out one of the spears to block the Trikeros horizontal slash. Ghina have removed the beam saber from the weapon, and given it a sharper edge, was rather usless to the Phase shift weapon, and mobile suit. However the force of the blow had knocked the Nosferatu back a short bit. "Ghina, What the hell are you doing?" Sam called out, as his Machine held the spear with both hands, and blocked another attack from the AMATU.

"Hmhmhm." Ghina began. "Samorei, do you really think someone like you, can really help me, with my plans?" he asked, as the AMATU, vanished, under Mirage Colloid.

Sam somewhat smirked. "I guess you are right." Sam began, as the AMATU vanished, so did the Nosferatu, both now under Mirage Colloid.

"What?" Ghina wondered, as this move surprised him. Both mobile suits, were now invisible, and now they could not target each other.

However for Sam, this is an edge he needed. Placeing the Spear into its designated area, and with that he grabbed one of the sabers, not ignited though, and rushed right towards the Nazca. In this attempt, he had to stop their attacks on him, and he came closer again, towards where the missile launchers were. Ghina finally spotted him, as the beam ignited from nowhere, and severed the compartment from the rest of the ship. The Nosferatu emerged from its Mirage Colloid, and quickly spun around. Both cannons went into position again, and fired, destroying the dual railguns on top of the ship, into melted scrap.

"There you are." Ghina began, as the Amatu still under Mirage Colloid fired on the mobile suit.

Sam quickly got into position, and fired both beam cannons at the last location of the beams origin, however missed. "Ghina, just what are your plans?" he called out, firing his beam cannon at the Nazca's beam cannon, and then dodging another attack from a beam.

"Hmhm." Ghina began. "It has been the Sahaku's Destiny, to rule everyone!" he began. "In the past, they have tried for the peaceful way, however I have changed that!" he began. "I sided with ZAFT's Angel of Death, so I can whipe them out, after this, it will be easy to destroy the Earth Forces!" he called out.

"All you have is Ame No Mihashira, how do you plan on actually defeating the Earth Forces!" Sam called out.

"Hmhmhm That child, is all I need." he called out, as Sam finished disabling the ship. "You see Sam, you have finished everything I have started, and I say thank you, but you have poisoned my main asset." Ghina told him, as Sam was then hit hard with a shock, as he took notice of something. His machine, was beginning to lose power, as the Amatu began to decloak. It was draining the power of the Nosferatu. Sam began to panic, as his energy went to close to the empty, and the machine, dropped its Phase Shift Armor. "hahaha! This is the end of you Samroei, and I will be the one known for taking down, the White Devil." he began.

"No you don't!" another voice called out. Ghina looked up, as his Machine was nearly severed in half. Ghina stared at the newcomer, as it brandished, an eight meter long Katana.

Sam's machine's head, looked at the Newcomer that has come to his aid. "02!, the Red Frame?" Sam wondered. It was his first time seeing it since Heliopolis, and took notice of the Katana the mobile suit now sported. The blade glistened, in what sunlight could hit it, from the solar system's primary star.

"So, you have found me at last. I haven't seen you, since the battles on the Giga-Float." Ghina mused, as the two machines stared at each other. Ghina brought up the Trikero's, as the sharpened edge shimmered with the light, as the sword did as well.

"Alright, Red, lets finish this with him." Lowe mentioned, as the Red Frame, flew towards the Gold Frame. Ghina easily dodged the initial attack, and then blocked a horizontal slash with the Trikeros. The Phase Shift from the Blitz's arm, protected it from being severed, of the Katana. Ghina flew back at this, and fired a shot from the shield system. Lowe used the sword to deflect the beam, do to that the sword itself was coated in anti beam coating. Allowing the sword to defend Lowe from the beam technology that has been massing for both sides. The battle had truly begun for the two, as Ghina blocks attacks from Lowe, as Lowe nimbly dodged attacks from Ghina.

"The Red Frame, has found its owner, and has became a rather impressive machine. I wonder, is its pilot a Natural, do to the fact of what it has?" Sam wondered.

Ghina at this moment vanished under mirage colloid. "Where are you!?" The Red Frames pilot questioned, as he tried to find the now cloaked machine. Ghina in fact, was circling the Red Frame, like a Lion stalking its prey. Then all of a sudden, he went for it, all the while dropping the Mirage Colloid.

"Red Behind you!" Sam called out.

Lowe quickly turned his machine, to block the oncoming attack. The brandished blade of the Trikero's came down with a Horizontal slash. Lowe got the Gerbera into the path of the oncoming weapon. The two weapons connected, and the Gold Frame used severe force in the blow, with all its thruster power at max. That was when Lowe notice something, he wished he did not see. Upon the point of impact, the blade of his sword began to crack, and with in moments, it shattered. Sam noticed it as well, as the Gold Frame, backed away, and Lowe brought the blade, to the optical sensors. "The Gerbera, it's broken?" he asked.

"Hahahaha!, In the end, this is all that you are worth!" Ghina mocked. The severed Blade was only half of what it once was. The severed half, that was cut away, now only floated in space. "And now, only two of the original five, will still be in existance, and soon, only to be one." Ghina told them, as Lowe's machine looked right at Ghina's. Lowe idly let go of the Gerbera, and went right for the Gold Frame once again. "What a futile attempt." Ghina mocked, however, took notice, as in the right hand, of the Red Frame, began to emit a small bit of beam energy. "What?" Ghina noticed, as he dodged the futile event, and with that, had one of his machines claws grab the arm of the Red Frame.

"No!" Lowe called out, as what he used his equipment for, was beginning to not help, as his machines energy dropped a impressive rate. "Now, finish the one that can still be a problem in the future." Ghina notioned, as he floated over to the hardly functioning Jade Frame.

That was when another voice broke their silence. "Turning on your own, how dispicable." Came the voice of Gai. The Blue Frame floating a short distance away from the others.

"Hmhmhmhm, the day is only getting better and better." Ghina notioned. "I get to destroy all my main enemies, in a signal glorious day!" he exclaimed, as he turned to the mobile suit, with an oversized sword. "And it is not even my birthday." he notioned again.

Gai smirked. "I guess, this is the end of one of us, or all of us." he began, as he flew towards the Gold frame.

"Hahahaha! This is the End!" Ghina told him, as the two clashed their main melee weapons. The two machines, were more then a match for each other. Out of the four, the gold blue, and Jade were the strongest, do to their upgrades. And now, Ghina began to fight one of the most worthy foes he ever will face. He was holding the blade, keeping them,in a stale mate.

"You can't win Sahaku!, you are getting tired, you have fought to much today!" Gai told him. "I have just arrived, and ready to fight." he added in.

"Hmhmhm. I have far more endurance, then you think." Ghina told him, as the two blades clashed again. It mainly depended on who can last the other. On the two last Nazca's, they watched in awe, as the Gold Frame, proved its power, time and time again. Against grunts, and now of its own kind; and both mobile suits, were fighting as though they were just getting there, even though it is true for one of them.

However, the one that has been fighting for a long while, struck the sword, with a straight on attack, for the cockpit. Gai, was caught off guard, as the left hand side, the Maga-no-Ikutachi caught ahold of the Blue frames right arm. "What?" Gai wondered, as from the fate of the others, his machine began to lose energy, until nothing was left. "No." he whipsered.

"Hahaha, Yes, I have won!" Ghina gloated. "All my enemies, are now nothing left to me." he called out, as he looked at each of them. "All of you are pathetic. Even more then the two militaries" he informed them, as the AMATU turned to Sam. "Even of my own sister." he told him, knowing their relationship.

"You wont get away with what you are planning Ghina. Kira and the others will stop you!" he told him.

"Hmhmhm, you overestimate, Kira, even if he is of Hibiki's wild ideas." Ghina told him, as Sam looked shock. "I see you know now. Kira Yamato, citizen of Orb, and the Ultimate Coordinator. Nothing! Is what he is." he told Sam. "You see, you are of the Ultimate Extendeds, altered humans, that are suppose to be even, or exceed him, and you have more mobile suit experience, then that pathetic child." he exclaimed.

"You will not get away with this!" he told him.

"Hahaha, I am sure you are wrong, even as we speak, The Earth Forces, have cornered your friends, and are ready to strike." he told him, as he spoke the truth, as the three ships began to get closer to the Mendel Colony. "In a short while, those ships, will tear your friends apart, destroying more fools that would hinder my plans." he continued to gloat. "And right now, I am to do the same to you, and when I get back." he said approaching Sam, as the Trikeros was brought back, ready to strike the Nosferatu. "When I go back, I will eradicate, all of your little vermin you call an alliance! Even that of my Sister!" he yelled.

The last part hit Sam hard, as deep within his mind, deep in his brain, the device began to activate, sending electrical currents down the spine, and through the entire nervous system of Sam's body. With it, the muscles around his eyes strained, and the pupils dialated do to the electrical current in his body. The last thing to happen, was the fact that the Nosferatu's eyes began to glow white.

Despite this, Ghina continued to go for his final strike, but with the sudden force inside Sam, gave the Mobile suit, a sudden burst of energy, having the Phase Shift activate for one blow. The hit smashed onto the cockpit, shaking it up, Ghina was shocked, but more shocked, as the Nosferatu grabbed, the severed piece of the Gerbera in its left hand, and brought it right for Ghina himself.

Immediately in Sam's mind, the words of Mina whispered in his head, before he left. "_Please, put an end to what my brother is planning, even if you have to do. . ._" and with it, the dagger pierced to Torso, and the cockpit's hatch, right into the cockpit, severing Ghina's own torso. "I'm sorry" Sam told his old friend, as Ghina instantly died from the attack, as the two machines were motionless. The Gold frame, piered into the cockpit, as the Jade Frame continued to hold the blade in place, not leaving it. As a small bit of clotted blood began to seep through the hole of the mobile suit, and the Nosferatu's eyes changed back to their original colors. And the Machine's just all stared at the outcome of a massive battle, as did the occupants of the two Nazca class ships.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I hope everyone had a good Sortment of Holidays, because I did. And here is my Holiday gift to you, the End of Rondo Ghina Sahaku. Killed by his sister's love, with the severed blade of the Red Frames Gerbera Straight.

Also, what is this, the Son of Rear Admiral Halberton, is commander of the Dominion! What effect will this have on the future! Stay tuned and find out, next time!


	34. Chapter 34: Prelude, to the Truth!

Chapter 34: Prelude, to the Truth!

* * *

Ame No Mihashira lowered a portion of its shield, as the disabled in weapons Nazca class Destroyer Gansback hovered into the hangar, as the Izumo was right behind it. However, as soon as both the Izumo, and Gansback docked, they were immediately boarded by military personnel. Each of them armed, with both ships suddenly being boarded by them. On the Izumo, one came into the medical room, and saw Ayya, who raised her hands. "No need." she told him.

The Soldier nodded. "Clear!" he called out, as he continued to the next room.

"So, Mina was indeed prepared." Ayya commented, as she went over to the window, as she saw the Nosferatu coming in, landing on the ground, as the mobile suit, settled its passenger, a completely powered down AMATU. The machine, with a large gash in its right side, while in the left hand of the Nosferatu, was the piece of metal that was shoved into the area, as it was indeed stained, with oil, and even human blood. When someone opened the cockpit, they held their hand to their mouth, and vomitted to the side, as they saw the carnage. The body inside, was severed at the upper torso, and the rest was red, having it show, that you could not see, who, or even what the figure once was. Sam's cockpit opened, as he looked down, seeing it, as they were indeed doing so.

Inside, Samorei was hurt, Ghina was actually the first to suggest that Sam to stay with the Sahaku's. He even was the one that arranged Samorei's Identity as Samuel Lewis. And the one who arranged the creation of Orbs major defence, the Astray Project. He leaned against the right side part of the cockpits entrance, and clenched his fist, in anger of what Ghina had become. And that he was only using him, do to his status. Ayya floated over to the massacre, as soldiers from the Izumo, and Gansback were being held at gunpoint. That was when things became a problem, as the Mistress of the Sahaku House came into the hangar. A few of the soldiers saluted, as she touched down. Sam could see it in her eyes, is that she was hurt.

The reason was, for a flashback again. ""_Please, put an end to what my brother is planning, even if you have to do. . . Even if you have to kill him._" was what she said, leading to what has happened. "Damn it." he said to himself, as he saw a tear with Mascara dripple down her face, as she saw what was of her brother, on a stretcher. Eyes wide open, as she took her hand, and closed the eyes, of a man surprised as Death got to him. Sam came down slowly as he floated with the zero gravity. Mina saw him, and could not be mad, for what Sam did to her brother, she knew she could not. However, as she was a bit mad. She hugged him, as Sam held her, feeling stained tears through his flight suit, and he rubbed the back of her head. Whispers began, as people began to see the affection the noble, and mobile weapon pilot had for each other. Some knew, while more whispered. The ones that did know, smirked, seeing that the two were no longer hiding it from this military. They broke apart, as Sam floated towards the Prisoners of the soldiers that commandeered the Izumo, and Gansback.

"I am sad to say, is that your commander, Lord Sahaku is no more." he began, as Mina still hit hard from the events. "However now, you all have a choice to make. Make the wrong one, you wont be allowed here on this station." he told them.

One person eyed him. "And what gives you such authority?" one person told them. It was Four Socius that asked.

"Being a member of their household." Sam shot back at him. "Now your choices are these. First: Is that you swear loyalty to the last of the Sahaku Household, or take the first trip out of here." he told them, as Four looked a bit down.

"I was assigned, to help out the Sahaku's in their plans, so . . ." he began, as his other self stepped forward.

"I pledge my service to the head of the Sahaku Household." he told them.

"Eight, just what do you?" Four began.

He looked over to his 'brother' "We were assigned to guard, and Obey the Sahaku's." he Eight began. He then turned to Samroei. "And is what I plan to do." he told them.

A short while later, a few descided to leave, as their shuttle was launched into space, with their choice of destination, the last, were now in the hangar.

Mina, had left, so she could cope with the lost of her brother, Mechanics, were repairing what is left of the Gold Frame's cockpit, and upgrading it, with systems of the Freedom's information that Samorei got from the mobile suit. However being altered to fit the AMATU. The Nosferatu was also being repaired of what it could of been, while M1As, M1s, and even the two Gundams that Ghina brought, were being placed onto the Izumo. Samorei, knew that Mina wanted to be alone, so he occupied his time on the mobile suit compliment. After the choices of the Ghina supporters, Mina told everyone, that the Izumo was going to be heading out to help the Archangel and the Kusanagi. So Everyone was prepareing what they need for the voyage.

* * *

Meanwhile:

L5 Mendel Space:

The three ships, were just shy out of the Mendel Colony Occupant's Sensor range. "So, when do the events begin?" Azrael asked, as Wiel nodded his head. "Right now." he commented. "Ready Valiants, and the Gottfrieds, load Missile Launchers with Sledgehammers, prepare Anti Beam Deph charges, and charge Lohengrin's one and two!" Wiel ordered. "Target the exterior of the Mendel Colony with Lohengrin's, its time to stir up the hornets nest." he told them.

"Lohengrin's charged, targeting complete, ready to fire." The weapons officer told his captain.

He nodded towards the area. "Now Fire!" he called out, as on the bow's legs, the compartments began to open, revealing the most powerful weapon the Earth Forces have created. With it, the paired weapons fired at the same moment. Both creating, a Red beam, surrounded by White flew across space, both of them, hitting the Exterior of the Mendel Colony, atomizing the area that was hit.

* * *

The Archangel, Kusanagi, and the Eternal all felt the hit to the colony, as they were wondering what just happened. "What was that?" she asked Sai, who finally got a signal. "Three Thermo Signatures of Space Use Battleships. Evidence of the colony, being hit by a Positron Cannon!" he answered her.

"You mean Lohengrin blasts?" Natarle asked him, as he nodded.

"I am getting visual contact with the ships now!" he told her. "I am bringing them up now." he informed them.

On a foreward Display, it showed what had shot at the colony. A small group of ships, but not just any to them, they were copys of the very ship that they were in. "No way." Romero said surprised.

"Isn't that?" Mir began.

"The Archangel?" Arnold finished.

"The Earth Forces made three others?" Natarle asked, as what they saw seemed to true. All the weapons were fully armed, for what they could see.

"Heat Signatures from the weapons, the three ships, are ready for combat!" Sai called out.

"Damn." Murrue began. "I knew it couldn't last," she added grimly. "Prepare the ship for launch!"

Sai immediately put out the alert over the intercom. _"All hands to Level One Battlestations! All hands to Level One Battlestations! All hands to Level One Battlestations!"_ As the alert rang out, shocking all the pilots, who dropped what they were doing, and went for their mobile suits, as the same status went to the other ships. All over the three ships, personnel rushed about, readying themselves and the ships for battle. Pilots hurried to their machines, and orders rang out.

"Launch _Archangel_," Ramius ordered.

That was when Natarle began. "Load Aft Missile Tubes; and arm both the Valiants and Gottfrieds!" she ordered. "Have the Igelstellungs act for Missile interception!" she added.

"_Captain Ramius_." Kisaka called from her left Intercom screen, from the bridge of the Kusanagi.

"What's the Kusanagi's Status?" she asked. "We will need its help out there."

"_We are ready._" he answered her.

"Good Follow us out." she told him, as she connected to the Eternal.

"_We're not as ready as the Kusanagi, we still have a few systems to unlock._" Waltfeld told her, before she could ask him.

"Roger that," Ramius acknowledged. "You'll be safer here in the harbor; we'll have a better idea of what they're after, and an Archangel Class, outshines the Eternal." she told him.

"Power to the thrusters, take us out!" Murrue called out, as with this, the Kusanagi, and the Archangel fired their thrusters and began to head out, to meet its new opponents.

* * *

On the Dominions bridge, Wiel looked on, as the oldest of the ships could be seen taking off. "Sir, The Archangel has launched, followed by an Izumo Class ship. From Sahaku's information, its the Kusanagi." the soldier told them.

"_It seems that man was good for something._" Sutherland complied.

"_I am personally surpised that he was correct._" Glaeser commented.

"Does it matter?" Azrael asked. "We are here for those two mobile suits, the ships can be scrapped for all I care." Azrael told them.

Wiel shook his head, as he picked up the phone like communications set from his chair. "This is Earth Forces Mobile Assault Ship _Dominion_," she called. "_Archangel_, do you read me?" he asked, getting a surprised look, from his superiors.

The crew of the Archangel, were questionable. But Murrue, had a look of shock on her face. "No, not him!" she said a bit nervous.

"Captain?" Mir asked, turning in her chair.

Natarle came up, as she saw the fear on Murrue's face. "Captain, what is it?" she asked.

"Wiel." Murrue whispered, as the image of the man that contacted them. Much of the Crew took notice, as the man resembled the head of the Eighth fleet.

"_Captain Ramius, if you don't remember, I am Captain of the Archangel Class Dominion. Wiel Halberton."_ He announced, which really got peoples attention.

"Isn't that Rear Admiral's son?" Jackie asked.

"This isn't good." Natarle commented.

"What is it?" Sai asked her.

Natarle looked at him. "Captain Ramius was Lewis Halberton's pupil. Besides her, the only one, that can even come close to being as good as Halberton, would be his son, and this is who we fight." she told him.

"_Hmhmhm, is that one of my old students I hear?_" Came another voice, this one familiar, to both Murrue, and Natarle.

"That voice?" Natarle began, as a view of a man in his fifty's came on. It was Glaeser, who had a smug smile on his face.

"_My my, Fancy meeting you here." _The regular crew were surprised, at this discovery.

Jackie was the first to speak. "Admiral Glaeser, what is he doing here?" he asked.

"_Enough small talk, launch the mobile suits._" Azrael cut in.

"Alright." Wiel commented. "_Renegade ship Archangel, either surrender now, or suffer death._" he told them, as the Archangel's crew noticed that the Dynameis (I have been misspelling this name, this is what it is) had its Gottfrieds target the Archangel. With that, a group of four beams from the beam cannons fired. "Incoming Beam fire!" Sai called out.

"Hard to Starboard!" she called out, as the beams fired barely past the bridge of the Archangel.

With that, the two Catapults, on the ships began to open. The battle has begun, as the Dominion began to launch its machines. Both the Raider, and Forbidden launched, from the Dominion, with the Calamity right after them. However, its compliment was at its end as the Strike Daggers launched. Next, was what the Dynameis has to offer the Archangel. Out of the Starboard Catapult, flew out an orange colored Sword Calamity, as its pilot smiled. "Edward Harrelson heading out!" he called, as his Machine brandished an Anti Ship sword. Behind him, two Raider Full Specs launched, and finally the Strike Daggers.

* * *

On the Archai, two 105 Daggers, had equipment attached to their machines. One, had a set of Gunbarrels attached, of a Mobius Zero. The other, had a Strike Gundam style of equipment attached, as it was equipped with a Agni Launcher, and Anti ship gattling gun. On the port side, the Euraisian pilot smirked. "So I get to test out this machine against the legend himself, the Hawk of Endymion." he smirked, as his Dagger launched, with a silent occupant of the other mobile suit.

Behind him, a Dagger with a different set of equipment began to get ready for launch. Inside it, a woman pilot nodded, as the Dagger, with Buster Gundam equipment got ready. "Rena Imelia, taking off." she told everyone, as the machine took off. Right behind it, from both Catapults, a pair of Long Daggers launched, and then more Strike Daggers. The Archangel, and its friends, were going to be in for one hell of a ride. "The leader of Blue Cosmos is here?" Sai questioned, as they heard the name.

"It seems." Natarle began. "Get mobile suits ready for launch immediately!" she ordered, as their attackers, have already deployed their squadrons.

* * *

On the _Dominion_'s Bridge, Halberton was quite irritated with Azrael's presumptive orders. But all he could do was follow them, so then began snapping out her own. "I want missile tubes one to six loaded; set the Korinthos/ Valiant systems to auto-control pattern B, target Orange Alpha seventeen through forty-two. Set firing angles five points apart; meanwhile, change our course to Indigo Thirteen mark twenty Charlie, maximum thrust!"

Azrael looked at the Halberton Legacy, with a questionable look. "Why fire in an area, that has no enemies?" he asked him.

Wiel glared at his displays. "Director Azrael, no offence intended, but I have more experience in combat." he told his superior.

"Launch Mobile suits!" Natarle ordered.

"Kira, Mu, Dearka, Yzak!" Mir called out.

"Roger! Lets do it!" Kira called out, as the Freedom soared out of the Archangel's starboard Hangar.

The Strike landed on its Catapult, as the Strike had its Gunbarrel equipment pack equipped. "_Course is clear._" Mir told him. "_You are clear for launch!_" she finished. "_Justice you are also clear!_" she told Athrun, who nodded.

"Roger that, Launching!" The two pilots called out, in unison, as their mobile suits took off.

Right behind them, the Duel, and Buster took their places. "Yzak here, Taking off." the Duel's pilot told them.

"Dearka, Buster, taking off." Dearka told them, as the mobile suits, took off.

Murrue finally snapped back to Reality. "Dearka, Yzak, Mu, protect the ships, Kira, Athrun see what you can do with our opponents." she ordered them, as the pilots all nodded.

"I can't believe I am fighting for the Legged Ship AGAIN!" Yzak commented, as the Delta Duel got its shield into position. The Kusanagi launched a few M1's, and Ahmeds M1B to defend their ship from the daggers, a no contest, unless the new Daggers were different.

Dearka nodded, as his machine connected both of the Busters Weapons into its Sniper Rifle form, and fired at the enemy destroying a Strike Dagger.

Mu though, had a strange feeling, as he went off towards the oncoming enemy. With this, his machine was heading right for a 105 Dagger, that had similar equipment to his own. "Why do I have this feeling, Rau Le Creuset is not here." he wondered, as then it went off again, allowing him to dodge in time from a quadrouple shot of beam fire. The beams belonged to the Gunbarrel Dagger, which had a pillar of yellow energy came at the Strike.

"So you are the Hawk of Endymion Mu La Flaga!" the deep voice called, as the Strike brandished its own blade, as the two sabers connected. "So We finally meet, Hawk!" the man called.

"Morgan!" Mu said in realization, as they were in a deadlock. "So you gave up with the Tank Brigade?" he asked, as Morgan just smirked.

"I traded in my Tank for this new machine." he began. "Which are Equal to that of your G-Weapon, the Strike." Morgan finished.

Kira and Athrun on the otherhand, were heading right for the three main machines that they fought at Orb. "Athrun!" Kira warned. "Its those Machines!" he informed his friend.

"Yeah I see, them, but Banken and the fourth one is not among them." Athrun pointed out to him.

With the three machines their pilots smirked. "Its those Ugly Machines again." Shani commented.

"I see them, time to for some payback from our Humilation from last time." Orga added in.

"TERMINATE!" the Raiders pilot called, as the Machines took off towards their foes. Within moments, the Calamity, and the Raider opened fire on the Freedom, as the Forbidden, went right for the Justice, as the five suits began to exchange fire.

"Hey Hey Hey!" Orga called out, as he fired on the Freedom with his chest mounted Scylla.

"Back off!" a female voice called, as the Salvation Gundam appeared, firing a pair of Plasma blasts at the Calamity, which dodged in success.

"What another one?" Shani asked, as his machine defelected a beam from the Justice's rifle.

"Who cares!" Clotho yelled, as he launched his Mjolnir at the new comer, which dodged the attack.

"Kira who are these guys?" Allenby asked, as her machine dodged the dense weapon before it could make contact.

"The Earth Forces latest Mobile weapons." He told her, as he went for the Raider, which dodged a beam rifle attack. Kira then used his multi targeting and fired at the pair of Long Daggers, Destroying each of their beam rifles in the attack.

As the three original ZAFT machines fought the Earth Forces Second Generation G-Weapons, The Protecters, began to get swapped by the other newer machines. Yzak brought both of his Shotel's out, as they were used to block the Anti Ship sword of the Orange Sword Calamity. "Damn, I bumped into a G-Weapon, what Crappy luck" Ed told himself, as with the other sword went for a strike, however was dodged as Yzak went back a little getting some room between him, and his opponent. "Alright! Lets see how good I am!" he called rushing Yzak.

"Yzak!" Dearka called, however was blocked by a volley of missiles, as he saw his new opponent. "The Buster?" he asked, as he came face to face with the machine piloted by the original teacher of the G-Weapon pilots.

"The Buster, I bet the specs of the original are quite a bit different." She commented. With this, as the two machines stared each other down she contacted the Buster. "103 Buster, I am your opponent today." she told him.

"Just who are you?" he asked.

"I am Rena Imelia, and today and now I will give you a lesson in fighting." She told him, as with that, the original, and the grunt version of it, are now in combat, both becoming Even with each other. The only thing Dearka had, was experience in mobile suit combat with his machine, and that some of his weapons were better then his opponents.

Ahmed watched the battles unfold with each other. A Dagger with a Gunbarrel pack fighting the Strike. A Dagger with Buster equipment fighting the Buster, A Sword Calamity fighting the Duel, the three attackers of Orb were fighting Kira, Allenby, and Athrun. "Ahmed look out!" a pilot called, as he pushed the M1B out of the path of machine gun fire, as a pair of Raider Full Specs began to fight him, as the M1's. "This is bad." the pilot told him.

With it, Ahmed caught site, that the Kusanagi had came to a complete stop. "Captain, what's wrong, you can't be sitting there, like a sitting duck!" he called, as the Archai sat back, and saw it unfold.

The commander smiled at it. "Target the Kusanagi with Gottfrieds, and fire on my command!" he ordered. "Target their own Gottfrieds." he told them.

"Yes sir." his weapon officer confirmed.

"Now Fire!" he ordered. With that, the Archai's port side turned to its direction, and fired. The Beam grazed over the compartment of the Kusanagi's own Gottfried, sealing it shut.

"Damn." Cagalli called.

"Fires have broken out in the Gottfrieds Section!" Erica Simmons relayed.

"Damn, order Asagi to get out there, and cut us free!" Kisaka ordered. "We can't stay like this!" he called again.

Ahmed turned to the Archai as he combined his rifles into the sniper Rifle. "Bastards!" he called, as his rifle fired, leaving a gaping hole in the Gottfried, and it then detonated. Strike Daggers, Retaliated with this, as the took fire on the M1B. Ahmed maneuvered away from the fire, as he disconnected his weapon, and combined it, in the other configuration.

The Archangel though, had nothing but trouble for itself. It had lost track of the Archangel class Dominion, as it lowered its nose forty Degrees, to dodge a Gottfried from the Dynameis. "Where is the Dominion?" Murrue asked.

"There is to much Debris!" Sai called out. "Wait a second. . . Blue Fourteen, Orange Alpha! It's the Dominion!" he called out.

With a split second she looked at that direction. "When did they?" Natarle called out. With it, the Dominion fired both of its Gottfrieds at the Archangel.

"Evade!" Murrue ordered. The Archangel moved to starboard, avoiding the beams, however was then surprised. Wiel's opening move came into effect. The Missiles that he had fired earlier came to life, after hiding behind a piece of Debris and from the surprise tactic, the Archangel was a wide open target.

"Incoming Missiles!" Chandra called out.

"Intercept them!" Natarle ordered.

"We can't!" Jackie told her.

It was at this time Kira noticed the predicament the Archangel was in. "The Archangel." he said, breaking off from his fight, and heading right for the ship, bringing up his targeting computer at the same time. With it, he fired a Volley of attacks at the missile Salvo. A few were hit, a few more were taken out by the _Archangel_'s desperate point-defense... but two got through, pulverizing the starboard Gottfried and Valiant, leaving the ship with a massive gap in its offensive capabilities. Another such hit they might not survive.

"Hahaha." Shani called out, as he swung his scythe again at Athrun, who dodged the attack. While Mu dodged a frenzy of beams of the 105 Dagger, and fired back.

Yzak, was caught in a deadly melee with the Sword Calamity, as both of them, were using their weapons, with deadly precision. "I have to say, your good." Ed commented, as he blocked an attack with his sword.

Yzak smirked, as he nodded. "For a Natural, your not bad either." he commented, for the first time, actually admiring his opponent. "But today, you go down!" Yzak roared.

Dearka dodged another attack from Rena's Buster Dagger, barely as he fired his rifle at the Dagger. The machine dodged, and fired a volley of missiles at its opponent. "This is hard." Dearka commented, as he fired both weapons simultaniously.

"Alright you pest, go down!" Rena shouted, as she continued with her attack. The machines still continueding their fight. Mu and Morgan were to even in their machines, as they were even deflecting each others attacks both ranged and melee with their sabers.

"I guess fighting the Hawk is harder then I thought it would be." Morgan commented, as he then got a strange feeling. Mu at the same time got it as well. "I wonder Mu, do you feel that?" he asked his opponent.

"So you feel it as well?" Mu asked. "I only know one other person that gives me this feeling." He admitted, as Morgan nodded. "I'm sorry to cut this fight short, but I need to go find him." he told his opponent.

"Fine with me, I can't claim I defeated the Famed Hawk, in a battle when he is distracted." Morgan told him, as Mu turned, and went for the colony swooping past the Duel, and Sword Calamity in the process.

"Hey, Where are you going coward?" Yzak called to him.

"I am no coward Joule." La Flaga said succinctly. "ZAFT forces are close!" he told him.

Yzak took note of this. The Ex ZAFT pilot took off leaving the Sword Calamity.

"Hey where yeah going?" Ed asked, as he was about to head off. That was when the 105 grabbed his shoulder.

"There is no need Ed." Morgan told him. Ed just nodded, to his commander. "We need to help our comrades." he informed him.

Athrun, engaged in a running duel with the Forbidden, caught sight then of the Freedom's headlong rush. "Kira, wait!"

"No, Kira!" Ramius called from the _Archangel_.

Kira ignored them both, ignored even the glancing blows the Calamity and Raider inflicted upon him. _"Stop it!"_

"That's the one you wanted to capture, right?" Halberton asked of Azrael.

"Yes, that's correct," he answered with a smile.

"Then I suggest you get the Calamity and the Raider ready." with that, he looked straight ahead at the advancing machine, "Glaeser, Sutherland, Aim all Sledgehammer missiles. Your target: enemy mobile suit." A pause. "Fire!"

Kira, beam saber in hand, flinched as the storm of missiles reached out across space for him.

* * *

Izumo L4 Space:

A shield blocked an attack, of a sharpened, blade. The Nosferatu, raced back wards, as it kept on taking blasts from a beam rifle to the shield. "Your getting better with it Mina." Sam told her.

His opponent, was a fully repaired gold Frame AMATU. In its cockpit however, was the sister of its former master, who was training with the more high performance type model, of what she piloted at Orb. Let alone, that the AMATU has more weaponry, and abilities, then what the M1 Astray uses. "Only because I have a proper person to spar with." Mina told him, as she fired at his shield again. Samorei however, fired his own rifle, aiming at her machine. He had turned both machines beam output to low, to just see the beams. Right now, the weapons could not even do any damage, even if they tried to do it. The Sabers though, were different, but Sam had no intention on going into a Melee.

Mina dodged a beam attack from Keinn's rifle, as she moved fluently, and smashed her sharpened edge onto the main body of the Jade Frame. Sam felt the hit, and was lucky that the weapon was kinetic. After the hit, Samorei grabbed a hold of the next strike with both of his machines hands. All the while, the two machines, continued to head towards the Mendel Colony, with the Izumo not far from them.

Onboard the Izumo, the ships doctor was commissioned, as the second in command. Next to Mina Sahaku, who was currently sparring. Samorei, was commissioned, as the head of the mobile suits on the ship, while his clones, were his second in commands. However, they left Samuru to keep an eye on Ame-No-Mihashira. "Mam, I am detecting something." the fire control officer informed Ayya.

"What is it?" Ayya asked.

"Thermo signatures of a ship heading this way, and its faster then any Nazca, or even the Archangel's speed!" he warned her.

"What?" she asked. "Lady Sahaku, Sam, incoming!" she called out.

Both caught a glimpse of something purple and black heading their way. They both went to dodge, however the AMATU could not get out of the way in time. The large machine with sheer speed and force, went right on through, severing both of the legs of the AMATU from the main body. "AHH!" Mina called out as some of her equipment shattered.

"MINA!" Sam called, as his Machine caught hers, only to see the thermo trail of the assailant head in a different direction. "What the hell was that?" he asked no one in particular.

* * *

Meanwhile: Kira was faced, with a full Salvo of missiles heading his way. However, within his mind, a seed, corresponding with his eye color, shattered within his mind. The Targeting computer on his terminal began targeting. The weapons on his machine snapped into position, as often other times, the weapons destroyed many of the missiles in front of him. With only, a few left, which he dodged, and blasted with his rifle. "Why wont you leave us alone!" he called, as he caught the Raider with a fist, as it tried to fly by.

"No way!" he called. "Special attack!" the red haired pilot yelled. Kira dodged the first attempt, but with the movement of the arm, the Freedoms chest was hit hard by the spherical breaker, causing pieces of his armor to fly off.

Seeing his friend go spinning out of control, Athrun's battle with Forbidden suddenly froze. _Kira!_ Behind his eyes, an emerald seed burst, and he too became the Berserker. "I don't have _time_ for this!"

With Justice's left hand, he grabbed Forbidden's scythe, and yanked him in close. "What the-" Shani called out, startled, and then got his answer as the hilt of a beam saber caught his machine in the chin.

Athrun boosted past the now-tumbling mobile suit, hurrying to Kira's rescue the Justice took an unsuspecting Clotho from behind, taking a chunk out of its right wing with a beam saber. "What kind of Cheat code is that!" Clotho yelled.

"Hey, Hey, Hey forget about me?" The Calamity's pilot yelled, as he fired three beams one of the Scylla, two beam cannons, and the beam cannon. It caused both mobile suits to dodge the attack from the blue ranged monster.

"You okay?" Athrun called.

"Yeah," Kira answered. "I'll be fine. What about you?" he asked.

_The Strike and Duel were at that moment reentering the Mendel harbor; but they didn't stop when they reached it. They kept right on going, past the still-docked Eternal_.

As they passed, Waltfeld contacted them. "Hey! What's going on?"

_"He says ZAFT forces are here,"_ Yzak told him a bit irritated._ "Yes, and that guy."_ Waltfeld looked grim; and behind him, Lacus gasped. They both knew who "he" had to be._ " Anyway,"_ the Duel's pilot went on,_ "we're checking it out. It could be bad if he's right."_

"There's a harbor on the opposite side," Waltfeld said thoughtfully. "That's probably where they are. I wonder what they're up to."

"In any case," Lacus interjected, "please hurry up with the _Eternal_'s launch preparations. As long as we're still in here, we have no choice but to leave the fighting to others."

* * *

Outside the colony, Asagi Caldwell's Astray finally cut through the last section of metapolymer cable holding the _Kusanagi_ in place. "Sorry! That was tough!"

"Thanks, Asagi," Kisaka said from the Bridge. "We appreciate your help."

"Maximum speed, at the Archai_!"_ Cagalli ordered from behind him. "_Don't_ get us caught again!"

"Yes, Ma'am." the helmsman called out.

"Charge the Lohengrin's, and prepare to fire!" Kisaka ordered. With it, the compartments that held the positron cannons opened up. "Fire!" he yelled, with that, the pair of positron blasts went right for the Archai.

"Dodge that!" Glaeser ordered, as the twin beams fired past the ship, however turning the starboard sides valiant into space dust. "Damage report!" he ordered.

"Starboard Valiant is gone, the blast has set off dormant missiles!, Fires, in sectors seven, and four!" he called.

"Turn the Archai around, call our machines back, we need to leave before the fire gets to out of hand!" Glaeser ordered.

With it the Archai, began to pull back. Dynameis however, fired a pair of beams, destroying two M1's. "Glaeser you coward!" Sutherland called out. Just then, Wiel came up.

"Glaeser has the right idea, our strategy has been foiled." Wiel told him. "Our Daggers, are being crippled by their prowess." he added in. He was right, the M1's, and the M1B, had begun to severely cripple their forces. "Besides, our trumps, are all running low on energy, we need a startegic retreat." he order.

Azrael though, was calmer then most of the people on either of the ships, taking part in the combat. "Well, this is becoming quite interesting, Captain. But don't stop firing now; we've got them on the run."

"If we keep firing now," the captain retorted, "we risk hitting our _own_ machines!"

"Who cares if we hit our own machines?" he said negligently. "They have Trans-Phase armor, don't they?"

He never got an answer, as the ship's multitude of problems were suddenly multiplied by the report from Halberton's fire-control officer. "The Orb _Izumo_-class is closing, Captain! Fast!" he called out.

Wiel cursed under his breath, as Azrael took notice. "Oh my, so Glaeser began to retreat for a actual reason." Azrael commented.

* * *

On the _Kusanagi_'s Bridge, Cagalli's eyes narrowed. "Target the _Dominion!_ Gottfried One and Gottfried Two, fire!" Two streaks of emerald light shot towards the Dominion, as Wiel took command again.

"Evade that, retaliate with our own!" he ordered. The ship, lowered its bow, having the beams go right over it, with this, both of its own weapons took aim, and fired their own beams.

"Evade that!" Kisaka ordered, as the Kusanagi moved out of the way, as the beams went harmlessly into space. But he proved that he did what he had to do, as the Archangel's valiant took aim and fired. The kinetic weapon fired and shredded various CIWs into nothing but scrap metal.

"Damn." Wiel cursed. "Fire Signal flares, temporary retreat!" he ordered.

"What?" Azrael demanded incredulously.

"We've lost the element of surprise," he told his superior. "Glaeser has already pulled a wise move in retreating, and soon, that third ship, will be joining, leaving us, out numbered, and out gunned." he explained.

"So you're saying, run away today, and win another day?" The Director couldn't decide if he was furious or not.

"Director," he said flatly, "we have just been hit by the _Archangel_'s Valiants. Your three machines are also running critically low on energy.

But we had them on the ropes!" Azrael wailed, sounding remarkably like a spoiled brat.

"Are you _that_eager to meet your maker?" Wiel didn't waste time waiting for a reply. "Starboard ten degrees; we're leaving this battle area immediately!"

The signal flares went out; Orga and Clotho saw them. "Looks like our time's up," Orga said irritably.

"Looks that way," Clotho agreed. The two Gundams turned and headed for home plate.

The Forbidden, on the other hand, kept up its attack on the Freedom and Justice, its pilot enraged at Athrun's earlier strikes. "Take this, take this, _take this!"_ Shani fired his plasma cannon again and again, trying to hurt the machine that had hurt him.

Finally, the Calamity interposed itself between Shani and his target. "Stop it, Shani!"

"We've been ordered to withdraw, dimwit!" Clotho snapped.

"That guy!" Shani protested. "You know what he did?"

"We _have_ to retreat!" Orga shouted, genuine fear in his voice. "Do you want them to punish us again?"

Shani instantly came to what passed for his senses; he remembered the _last_ time they'd been through gamma glipheptin-withdrawal. Without any further argument, the Forbidden turned and retreated.

With that, the three ships, of the new Archangel class ships, retreated, even for the time being. Unknown to the Archangel however, a cloaked Nelson Class ship, was stationary, as on its hull one of its mobile suits was not there. Instead, in mobile armor form, the Voyager, under mirage colloid, flew past the bridge of the Eternal. Heading to one certain location, a place he thought as, his birthplace, which was not far from the truth.

Onboard the Archangel however, Murrue, still having some shock over her, watched the ship leave. "He has grown up well." she notinoed.

"Just who was he anyways?" Mir asked them.

"Wiel Halberton, son of my mentor." Murrue told them. "He was a friend of mine as well, almost like a brother." she told them.

"_Hey_," Waltfeld said abruptly, aboard the Eternal, as his image came on screen. "_Any word from La Flaga or Joule yet?_" he asked.

Murrue blinked; she'd forgotten all about it. "Not yet, no," she said slowly. "But they're all the way over on the other side of the colony; it will have taken them some time just to get there." she then turned to Mir.

"Already on it!" she said, turning to her council. "Yzak, Commander La Flaga, do you read me, Yzak, Commander!" she roared again. She shook her head, looking down at the Captain. "It's no use, Captain; our signals just aren't reaching to the colony's interior."

"_I'm going to find them._" Kira radioed.

"I am heading as well." Allenby told them.

"The Justice is undamaged, I will go as well." Athrun told them.

Athrun, had the Freedom, turn to the Justice. _"No,"_ Kira said quickly._ "I think the _Dominion _may not have made a complete withdrawal just yet; and with most of our best machines not here, you'd better stay here and keep an eye on things." _Kira explained to him, as Athrun, reluctantly nodded.

* * *

Even as Kira and Allenby set off for the colony's other harbor, Several mobile suits were about to converge, the Strike, and Duel, Freedom and Salvation. The other side, is a white unit, of a new ZAFT model GuAIZ, and another, is a blue machine, that was replaced, because of the GuAIZ, it was a CGUE **D**irectional **E**nergy **E**mission ex**P**erimental Arms and its pilot, was a young woman, wearing a ZAFT red pilots flight suit. Not far from the opposing side to them, was a Mirage Colloid use mobile suit, the Voyager.

Le Creuset and Mu were the first to know of each other's presence. _He's here!_ they thought simultaneously; they altered course toward one another.

"Shiho, come with me." Rau radioed, as the two commander type mobile suits, went towards, two of the Earth Forces G-Weapon mobile suits.

Soon she saw for herself on her display. "The GAT-105 Strike?" she questioned; From Rau's reports, she read that the machine was back in action. The Second Machine, is what really caught her attention. Not fully the same, as it was before, but it was no doubt the machine. "The GAT-X102 Duel. . ." she began. "Yzak. . ." she told herself, hearing from Rau, about the death of Yzak Joule, down on Earth.

The Strike's side, Mu was heading towards the GuAIZ, however Yzak, took notice of the upcoming DEEP Arms. "That machine, could she be here?" he wondered, as he began to get ready. "Please, don't let me have to fight her." Yzak told himself, however, he saw that the machine met buisness, as it drew a long blade, as it glowed. "Damn." Yzak said to himself, as he placed his beam rifle, and Shield away, and drew both of his curved blades. "This could get ugly." he told himself.

Mu and Le Creuset were the first to face off, as Mu took note of the new models. "I wonder, if this equipment is really the best." Mu mentioned, remembering back at Heliopolis, where the last time he faught Rau in a mobile weapon. He severly remembered, Rau taking out, all of the Zeros weaponry. "Oh well, lets go Jackal!" Mu called out, as his gunbarrels detached from their docked areas.

Le Creuset barked a laugh. "I see. So _you're_ the one piloting that machine now... _Mu La Flaga!"_ He called, having the GuAIZ dodge a multitude of beams coming at him.

* * *

Meanwhile, the two other machines had become interlocked, with their melee weapons. "You bastard, how dare you!" Shiho called out, even though the opposing machine could not hear it.

Yzak, was more conerned for some reason, about who piloted the machine, as he broke off. "Come on, give me a sign, is it her?" he asked himself, as he dodged another attack from the heavy sword. "Come on!" he yelled, as his Machines weapons clashed with hers, both being strong enough to withstand the attacks. The Duel may have some prowess over the machine, but the machine was not fully being used, like it should be. "Show me, who you are!" he yelled.

Mu, and Rau were moving with great movement, but Rau had much more experience, fighting in such an enviroment, let alone he knew Mu's use of the Gunbarrels. This proved to be true, as a beam from the GuAIZ's rifle seared right on through the remote weapon, destroying it. "Damn!" Mu said, as his remaining three fired, simultaneously with is beam rifle, but Rau knew these moves, even though the barrels fired beams this time.

"What are the odds of us meeting again in this place?" Le Creuset wondered aloud, to Mu. Mu wondered what he meant by that, as another beam from the rifle seared on through the lower left hand Gunbarrel. Rau simply laughed, and interposed his machine's claw-equipped shield, the anti-beam coated surface spattering the bolts of energy harmlessly. "You'll have to do better than _that,_ Mu," he said mockingly.

"I hope you don't think that'll stop me, Le Creuset!" he called, dodging another green blast. "That would've worked against a mobile armor, but I've got a lot more options now!"

"So prove it!" Le Creuset taunted, and spun away, racing toward another part of the harbor.

"I'm not letting you get away _that_ easy," Mu hissed.

Meanwhile, Yzak blocked another attack from the CGUE. Shiho thought of a good revenge as she broke the locked blades apart, and flew backwards. "I will have my revenge!" she called out, as the two side beam cannons that her machine had, shot into place, as she brought out her machine gun as well. "For Yzak!" she told herself, as the beams fired like crazy, Yzak took all his knowledge, for when he faught his brother, and during his other battles with the Duel, he dodged the attacks, like he could only do. One Beam however, caught the right shoulder, destroying the small area.

Yzak, quickly altered his radio frequincy. "HOUSENKA!" Yzak called out, as Shiho, looked at the Duel, shocked, as though she just heard a ghost speak to her.

"Y. . . Yzak?" she questioned.

Mu dodged a claw attack from the GuAIZ, and fired his rifle at the machine. Rau quickly dodged the attack, and took another to his shield. "You know, Mu, if you should happen to succeed in shooting me down, I daresay this place is an appropriate one. Wouldn't you agree, O Hawk of Endymion?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mu shot back, finally getting into range to fire another barrage from his remaining gunbarrels.

Shiho stared at the Duel. "Yzak, I thought you were dead." Shiho told the Duel's pilot. "But why are you fighting against ZAFT!?" she asked.

"Housenka." Yzak mentioned, as then he got the alert of two more mobile suits incoming. He turned to see both of the stolen ZAFT units.

"Yzak!" Kira called, as the Freedom came up to them. "

"Kira?" His head whipped around, to see the Freedom fast approaching, alongside the Salvation, both looking ready for battle. When the nuclear-powered machines arrived.

Shiho saw the Majestic machines. "But that's-" she said shocked.

"Shiho, its okay." Yzak told her. "That goes for you two as well." he snapped, at his comrades. "Kira, Ally please, let me handle this."

Kira raised an eyebrow. "You sure?" Allenby asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then." He turned away.

"Alright Yzak, just remember, that we are still here for you." Allenby told him.

The Freedom jetted away, leaving Shiho a bit confused. "What's going on!?" Shiho asked him.

"Much more trouble, then we seem to have known." Yzak told her. "Lets, lower our weapons, and speak in person." Yzak wished from her, and with that, the two machines, began to ascend.

As the pair clashed again, Mu was getting seriously fed up with Le Creuset... especially with his cryptic statements. "If it's my fate to be shot down by you," the masked man said, sounding almost cheerful, "I thought this place would be... appropriate." He ducked under another Agni blast. "But it doesn't look like there's much chance of that happening, now is there?" he went on. "After all, how could the child hope to defeat the parent?"

"What?" Mu, uncomprehending, shrugged off the comment. "Shut UP!" he yelled, as the two remaining barrels went chargeing at Rau. He brought ou this claw, and tore one too shreds.

"Nice try." Rau told him. "Heres mine!" he yelled, sending out the GuAIZ's two grapplers; one of them caught the Strike in the right shoulder joint, severing that arm, and the other hit near the cockpit.

The main console exploded, momentarily blinding Mu, and a piece of shrapnel stabbed into him, just above his left hip. "Ugh!"

"So much for the mighty Hawk of Endymion!" Le Creuset crowed; and then stopped, as a strange sensation went through his head. "What-"

A beam blast came out of nowhere, destroying the GuAIZ's beam rifle, and a winged shape came speeding into view, still firing.

"It's the Freedom!" Le Creuset managed. "And the Salvation." he notioned. He blocked a beam attack from the Freedom with his arm rushing towards the two machines. "So, these are what Patrick are worried about." Rau commented, as the Freedom dodged, however a beam claw severed the Salvations arm. But this did not go unpunished, as Kira had his beam rifle turn the head into scrap metal.

"Allenby, Mu, you two alright?" he asked, as the GuAIZ was still functioning, as he brandished the Lacerta beam saber, and did a flyby attack, severing the legs of the mobile suit.

The machine crashed heavily to the ground, briefly stunning its pilot. Within moments, though, Rau had released his straps and was out of the cockpit, sidearm in hand. He ran quickly by the Strike, where Mu was just emerging, helmetless, with a gun in his own hand.

The Hawk ducked back, narrowly avoiding having his head blown off. "Where's he going now?" he muttered, firing off a quick pair of shots.

"Come with me!" Le Creuset called. "I myself shall deliver your requiem!" He turned, fired twice more, and ran off toward a dark, abandoned building that stood nearby.

"What on earth is going on here?" Mu hauled himself out of the cockpit and sprinted after his nemesis.

Kira, in the Freedom, saw him go. "Mu, wait!" He quickly set his machine down, opened his hatch, ad climbed out; he, too, held a sidearm. _Can't let him go off alone,_ he thought, climbing down. _Murrue wouldn't be happy if Mu bought it._

Meanwhile, Yzak, and Shiho met, both looking at each other, but Yzak was surprised, as Shiho brought up a gun. Shiho raised the pistol she held. "Did you think I was naive enough to believe the words of an enemy?"

His old friend looked away for a moment. "Have _I_ become your enemy now Housenka?" he asked her.

With this, Kira, and Allenby with their weapons bared, ran into the facility, that Mu, and Rau ran into moments ago. However, after they did, casually walking behind them, was Banken, with his own weapon held in a tight grip in his hand.

* * *

A/N: Mendel has come, Rau, and the others are inside, with an un expected guest.

Rondo is truly dead, and now his sister, is heading to Mendel. But, will they know of the attackers that are already there? If, so how will they be able to get there, with the inferior ship they control. And what of the fast attacker, that went at them?

Find out, some of these, next time.


	35. Chapter 35: Truth, Betrayal, Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own, any Canon characters. I don't own Banken either. Heck, I don't even own Glaeser. Banken belongs to Chaos Angel Darkheart, while Glaeser, actually belongs to Square Enix, as the very Glaeser from Front Mission 4.

Chapter 35: Truth, Betrayal, Friends

* * *

The Izumo slowly approached, three signals. Rondo Mina Sahaku, stood on the bridge, while Samorei was in reality down in the hangar. In the Hangar, the Gold Frame was damaged, from an unknown assailant. Sam floated in the hangar, pondering, just who this assailant was. "That machine was fast." he told himself, as he watched the machine being altered. In his hand, was a data clipboard, as he was giving the Gold Frame new features, as over to his right, was the Strike Gundam. The Machine, has been dormant for to long, since it was finished, at the station. "The Lioness better, be grateful for this machine." he told himself.

On the bridge, Mina sat in the captains seat, she suffered minor cuts to her right arm, from the minor detonation of her mobile suits terminals. So, under her normal gown, her right arm was bandaged up, and stitched up. Nothing was overly damaged, however. "Lady Sahaku, we are getting Archangel thermo signatures ahead of us, but the thing is, we are getting three of them!" she told her.

Mina looked over. "And they are?" she asked.

"It seems to be, your brother has them in his data. The Dominion, Dynameis, and the Archai, Earth Forces new Archangel Class ships." The woman told her.

Mina then, got an idea popped into her head. "Alright. Tell Samorei not to come to the bridge for the next while." she ordered. Some people got a questionable look from her crew. "Just do it, for all they know, is that my brother is still alive, and that Samorei is the dead one!" she told them.

With that, they nodded, as the comms officer got right to it, telling Samorei what was going on. With that, the Black and gold Izumo class ship, approached the three Archangel class ships. With this happening, Ayya looked over to the colony not far from them, as she saw it. "Mendel, Via? Is this where the children have hid?" she asked.

* * *

Her answer was true, however, some things were going on with the outside. Barry Ho, inside a M1A that was stationed on the Kusanagi was heading back, with Asagi with him. His Machine was built with better sensors the original M1s, so he was the head of the recon mission. Asagi was there as protection for him, as they floated back to the docked ships, having hastey repairs done to their ships. _"There's ZAFT forces here, alright,"_ Asagi radioed. _"Seven _Nazca_-class battleships are hiding in the debris field on the other side of the colony."_

_Thanks, Asagi," _Kisaka said wearily from the Kusanagi's Bridge.

_"Seven Nazcas!, huh?" Waltfeld looked grim. "They must be real serious if they're sending that! Many after us." He shook his head. "This could be trouble. What teams are they from?" _He asked.

"What do you mean teams?" Sai asked him.

Waltfeld smirked. "_Every team, is assigned two ships, but as there are Seven ships, they likley have three teams, and maybe a forth, with only one ship._" he added in.

"One is the Crueset team." Murrue told them. They saw her face grim, as she answered them, with ease, and Andrew was the ZAFT soldier, not her. "That's how he knew they were out there." She looked up, as if only then realizing she was speaking aloud. "Mu says he can tell when he's nearby," Murrue explained. "But he doesn't know how. He can sense Rau Le Creuset."

Lacus, was the first to speak after that. "We must hurry then, our friends are out there. We have to help them." she told everyone.

* * *

Inside the long-abandoned facility, Mu braced himself against a wall, one hand pressed to his wound, the other holding his sidearm. After entering the spooky place, he'd repeatedly traded shots with Le Creuset, who seemed to be in a talkative mood.

"Do you have any idea what this place is, Mu?" Le Creuset's echoing voice asked.

Mu peered around the corner and snapped off a couple shots. "Why would I, psycho?"

A handful of bullets ricocheted nearby. "It's such a crime for you not to know," Rau mused, while the Hawk darted to another piece of cover.

On the bottom floor, just outside of the huge open room, Kira crouched against a wall, while Allenby was currently prone to the wall checking the area; his gun was held tightly in both hands. The Freedom's pilot nodded, and the pair darted through, into the main chamber, weapons at the ready. They seemed to be in sync as they were not actually speaking. They needed to get to Mu, without the use of words. For a time, they could see nothing; so Kira risked a shout. "Hey, Mu!"

Mu jerked. "No, Kira!"

On a higher level, Le Creuset froze in surprise. "Kira... Yamato? He's alive?" Rau then smiled in delight. "Kira Yamato! Delightful it is that you could join us! I see that you are the one piloting the Freedom!" he called out. Kira and Allenby used this moment, to get to Mu's side.

"Mu, you okay?" Allenby asked.

"You two, why the hell did you follow me?" he asked.

"I wasn't going to just wait outside for you," Kira replied firmly. "Besides, if anything happened to you, what would I tell Murrue?"

The Hawk smiled reluctantly. "Ha. Nosy kid." Even though it might get you killed...

Kira caught sight of Mu's injury. "You're hurt!"

He waved away the concern. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." He glanced down at the military pistol, that Mu also had in his had, the Coordinator held. "But there's something you should know: if you're gonna use that thing, you should release the safety first."

"Do you remember this place Kira!, You aught to, it was where you were born!" Rau called out, which caught Kira, with some shock.

"Don't listen to him Kira." Mu protested. "All this Jackal does, is spread lies!" he told them. "Don't believe a word he says." he added. With this, he ran towards a room, and walked in to, what seemed to someones office. It has been abandoned for many years, but it still had its papers on the desk beside it.

"Kira, such Naive, for you not to remember this place." Rau called out, as he fired, at the standing Mu. Mu took notice, because of his sixth sense, and jumped over the couch. With this, he knocked it over, for the larger area to block him from the oncoming bullets. He then popped up, and fired a full round at Crueset, but seemed to miss every shot, as Rau moved. Rau fired some of his round as well, with it, Mu felt a sharp pain in his shoulder; one of the bullets had hit him, causing Mu to drop his gun, on his side of the couch.

"Mu, no!" Kira shouted. He rushed in, similarly jumped over the couch, and turned to face Le Creuset, .45 held in both hands. "Are you okay?" he asked Mu; his only answer was a grunt of pain.

Le Creuset stepped forward into the lesser shadows and lowered his gun. "I'm not going to finish you," he said calmly. "After all, I made you go through the trouble of coming all the way here. I think you should hear the whole story, before you die." He told them, as Allenby was prone to the wall, outside of the door, that lead to the room.

Rau, and Mu instantly has the same feeling though, and with it, Rau went backwards, as a Bullet went past the front of his face, it was close, that if it be any closer to his mask, he'd be able to see the markings on the bullet, that every individual barrel of a gun uses as a signature mark.

"Don't forget another child. Rau le Creuset." the voice told him. Rau turned, to see the guy, with long white hair, and amethyst eyes staring at him.

"I see, so another one, is indeed alive." Rau mused, as his eye looked at the man. Rau grabbed a folder from the desk before the shot was fired.

"Banken!" Kira yelled, hearing the guys voice.

"Aha, Kira, its been so long since I've seen you." Banken told them.

Rau smirked with this. "Amazing, all but one child of this, is here." Rau called out, causing everyone a look at him. With it, he threw the folder he held, to Kira and Mu, as it slid along the floor, which both Kira and Mu saw within it. Mu's eyes focused that of him as a young child, sitting on his fathers shoulders.

"My dad...?" he whispered in surprise.

"Take a look," Le Creuset suggested. "Don't you want to know the full extant of humanity's insatiable desires, of the madmen who pursued their twisted dream in the name of progress?" He smiled. "Because after all, Kira, Banken you both are children of this to!" he told them.

With this, only Banken smiled, he knew it all, however, Kira's party, did not know what the man spoke of. "The foolish desires." Banken whispered.

Mu continued to clutch both of his wounds of the day. "This place is a forbidden temple," Le Creuset went on after a moment. "A monument to mankind's twisted dreams, their desire to always push the envelope one step further... until they reached the point where it could be stretched no more." He laughed. "I suppose it's not a surprise that you don't remember this place, Kira, you were so young, when this place became no more. And with it, you were given to your mothers sister and step brother. I should of recognized your last name, when Athrun told me!" he continued. "I should of made the connections!" he added.

Banken stared in surprise. "Aunt Caridad?" he asked.

"Yes Banken, she was your mothers sister, and the one that got both children." he said, as Kira eyed the photo, it was the same, one Uzumi gave to Cagalli, before they left Orb. "So Kira, would you like to know, how you came into being?" he asked. "Now Kira, you now know, the Yamato's were not your real parents, and if your real ones raised you, you would not be the same, as you are now." he told them. "If you had, you wouldn't have turned out as you did, you wouldn't have turned out so normal." he continued.

Kira had enough. "What are you trying to say about me? Just what are you trying to tell us?" he asked.

"Straight to the point, eh Kira?" he asked. With it, he laughed. "You and Banken here, are the Culmination of Mankind's mad dreams, the Ultimate Coordinator!" he laughed. "I never did expect that both of the twins to survive, especially not the boy; Since after your real father, Doctor Ulen Hibiki, you were the highest-priority target of Blue Cosmos. Yet survive you did; and you not only survived, but grew and thrived, and then threw yourself in the war. Yet survived even that! Yet not until this very day, did I realize the connections in full! Today, I finally realized, you were THAT child." he finished.

"Don't listen to this psycho," Mu croaked, when Kira stiffened in shock. "He's just trying to confuse you-" He shut up when a bullet from the ZAFT commander's pistol went over his head. _Curse you, Rau Le Creuset!_

"Kira! Listen to Mu! This guy has lied about deaths before! He's lied about Samorei's death, to his mother, he lied about Yzak's death as well! And now he is lieing to you about your origins!" she told him, but was when a Bullet sparked the wall, where she was, nearly hitting her in the process.

"On the contrary, Mu, what I'm telling your young friend is quite accurate." Rau told them. With it, he began to move away, but then was shot at by both Kira, and Allenby, nearly succeeding, but he got out of there in time. Banken, just smiled, turned, and began to leave the facility.

"Get a grip, you fool! You're not taking his nonsense seriously, are you?" he asked.

"He is not lying!" Banken yelled, as he left. They then followed where Rau had gone, to see a room, much like other rooms, when Naturals began to choose to make children into first generation coordinators. One screen flickered of a girl with green hair and blue eyes.

Rau's voice came down the stairs toward them. "'Today my secret shall be revealed'," he quoted. "'I did not come into this world through natural birth...'" With it, the three pilots ducked behind various equipment for cover.

"Doesn't that guy _ever_ shut up?" Mu whispered, irritated.

Allenby, was just looking at Kira, with a worried look, as this information was getting to him.

"'My genes were altered early in the embryonic stage of my development'," Le Creuset continued. "George Glenn was the first Coordinator that humanity knew. Do you know how much darkness has spread across this world because of the chaos he unleashed?" Lights went on as he pressed switches on the wall.

"What are you planning Le Crueset!" Allenby called out.

"Kira! You of all people should know that. You know the lengths to which madmen will take their dreams!" Rau laughed. "Is that why they did it? Because people dreamed, and then demanded that their dreams come true? After all, no one ever wants to see their dreams shattered."

* * *

Outside, Yzak, talked to Shiho. "Shiho, you have any idea what I have been through, for the last few months?" Yzak asked her, which startled her a bit. "I have gone through some changes in attitude, my brother was thought dead back at Junius Seven, but now, ever since Lacus Clyne was reproted Missing, I learned of my brother was still alive. I am now fighting along side him." he finished. "Athrun, Dearka, and I now fight along side the Legged ship." he told her still not use to calling the ship by its assigned name.

* * *

Back inside, Rau continued "They thirsted for knowledge," Le Creuset was saying, beginning to sound as if ranting, "and they sought for that knowledge, and in the process they forgot _why_ they were doing it. Even as they proclaimed their reverence for human life, they began toying with it, and then they began to destroy it!"

"Shut _up!"_ Mu shouted. He burst from cover, firing his weapon, and succeeded in putting a bullet through Rau's hair as he reached the protection of a wall. "Just what gives you the right to sound so superior?"

"I am the _only_ one who has earned that right!" Rau replied, voice beginning to take on an edge of madness. "In all the universe, I alone have the right to judge all of humanity!"

"I'm surprised that you don't remember, Mu," Le Creuset added. "We've met once before, you and I, long, long ago, before we ever met on the battlefield."

"What?" Mu frowned, trying to remember where he might have previously encountered Rau Le Creuset.

Rau quickly solved the problem for him. "I am he, that arrogant fool, who thought he could thwart death itself with his money!" He smiled broadly, the expression of someone whose marbles were not all present and accounted for. "Your father, Al Da Flaga," he said, as if introducing himself. "But I am merely that man's defective clone!"

"My dad's clone?" Mu sounded stunned, and as if he was attempting to convince himself it couldn't be true. "You think anyone will believe that fairy tale?"

"I don't want to believe it either," Rau informed him, more than a hint of madness in his voice now. "But unfortunately, it's true!" With it, he began to fire, rapidly, with no concern with what he hit at the moment, "The final door is about to open," he announced, "and I'm the one opening it!" He laughed insanely. "No matter what happens, no matter how many are destroyed, nothing ever changes! People are amazing that way!" An errant shot released a substance that billowed like smoke on contact with the air. "If that's how they feel, then why don't they just exterminate each other?"

"What the hell are you getting at?" Allenby called out.

Through all Rau's ranting, Kira had begun to recover his equilibrium; and now he moved. "No!" he shouted; leaping from cover, he snatched up a jagged piece of metal and began running at Le Creuset. "It won't happen! _I won't let you!"_

"No, Kira!" Mu shouted. He brought his gun up and opened fire at the same time Rau did. They both missed, though Rau succeeded in ripping Kira's flight suit and knocking him off-balance... but not before he threw the shard.

Le Creuset cried out and stumbled back as the jagged metal caught his mask and ripped it off. "Ahh!" And finally Rau Le Creuset's face was revealed.

Mu, Kira, and Allenby stared at the uncanny look of the ZAFT commanders face. With his mask gone, and the hidden truth of his extraordinary abilities revealed, Rau seemed even less stable. "Do you think you can change what's going to happen? Nobody can do anything about it! For the world full of hatred, is engulfing the universe!"

He suddenly raced from the room, leaving confusion in his wake. "Wait!" Mu called, then slumped against the wall as blood loss had its way with him, weakening him. Allenby went for the stares, but at the top, no one was there. With that, she placed her gun away, and went to help Mu out.

Kira nodded. "Can you stand up?"

Mu was silent for long moments. "Yeah," he said finally; and with the help of his fellow pilots, he got to his feet and began heading back the way they'd come.

"Yzak do you read me?" Allenby asked, still a little edgy, do to that Rau, and even Banken could still be around them.

* * *

"Yes." Yzak told her. Shiho infront of him still, holding a gun on him.

That was when Shiho got a call as well. "_Shiho, can you hear me? We're leaving!_" Rau told her.

"Listen Shiho, if you think I left the homeland you are wrong. The Legged ship, is no longer Earth Forces, but if you think leaving the ZAFT military is wrong of me, then shoot me, here and now." he told her, as she struggled, with her hand stumbling. Yzak then began to head back to the Duel.

"Yzak I." she began, dropping the gun.

"Just remember this Shiho, this time, is a bigger picture, then what Chairman Zala, and Creuset has been saying." he told her, using the zip line to head back to the cockpt of the Duel.

At the same time, Kira helped Mu into the Salvation Gundam with Allenby. With this they saw the Duel take off, and wait for them. The Hawk was in no condition to fly, and with Rau returning to the Nazca's it would be best for Kira to be ready for combat. While Allenby took Mu and the Strike to the Archangel.

* * *

With the Archangel, things have begun anew. The three ships began to close in again, but this time, they were a bit more even, or so they thought. "Captain, a fourth ship has been detected!" Sai called out.

That was when Kisaka came on the screen. "Its another Izumo class!" he told them, as Cagalli looked at the information, and took note of the colors.

"Wait, its the Sahaku's!" she told them.

"Are you sure?" Natarle asked. However, they were surprised, as a blast of a Lohengrin cannon fired at them, but just barely missed them. "What?" she asked.

Sai looked confused, as he looked through the bridge's window. "Did they just fire on us?" he asked.

"Mam, we are getting a hailing signal from within the Izumo." Mir told them, as Murrue looked towards her. "Its from the Jade Frame." she finished.

"Put it through." she ordered, as with that, a familiar face, to the crew came on the screen. It was Samorei. "Sam, what is going on? Why are you firing on us?" she asked.

"_Murrue, before you come to any assumptions, we are playing the Earth Alliance, we need time, to just even get close to you." _he told the crew. "_Even though the Archangel Class was based on the Izumo, but still their ships outgun us, and we would be destroyed, before we could even get the Gottfrieds ready to counter attack._" he explained to her.

"Why should we even believe you?" Natarle asked, the one, that has protected the Archangel for such a long while, Waltfeld came on screen.

"_Its because, he is being true to his word. He only lies to protect, and this time, he is lieing to the Earth Forces, to protect us."_ He told the crew. "_Very interesting trick he is up to." _

Kisaka was still on screen, and finished contemplating. "_I agree with the Desert Tiger._" he told them. "Captain Ramius, just think of what they are doing, with the same way Orb did for the Archangel, when you first visited Orb Shores." he told her. With that, they thought of it, and remembered, the Orb ships firing on the Archangel, but missing them on purpose.

"Alright Samorei, will will go along with your plan." she told him.

"Set the Izumo as a possible hostile, when we fire on it, delibratly miss the ship!" she ordered her crew. "Everyone, to Level one Battle Stations!" she ordered.

With this, the other Archangels began to launch their machines. Forbidden, Calamity, and Raider launched from the Dominion, While the Sword Calamity, Buster Dagger and the Gunbarrel Dagger, each launched from their respective ships. Strike Daggers, and Long Daggers Launched after each of them.

The Izumo was a different story, from it, two Mobile suits launched, First, was a mobile suit, that was very familiar to both the Archangel, and Kusanagi. They saw a black and golden Sword Calamity Launched from the Kusanagi's sister ship. It was then followed by a Raider Full Spec. However, the hangar did not close, until a short while later. Unknown to anyone though, two other Machines had launched, the Nosferatu, and the Strike Rouge had taken off, both under Mirage Colloid.

Even though the Strike Rouge did not have it, the Nosferatu had a special system included. The TMC, in other words, Trans Mirage Colloid, a system created by Samorei, and Ame-No-Mihashira's engineers. The system allows the host mobile suit, where the system is located, to transfer Colloid particles to another mobile suit/mobile armors/ and even ships. However, it had more drawbacks then the host machine. Laminated Armor, would work at half of its normal use, while Phase Shift Armor is deactivated, and the colloid particles would work for only two minutes, on the machine that got turned invisible by the host.

Within the Strike Rouge, was Rondo Mina Sahaku, who was piloting it, and taking it towards the Kusanagi. However, the only ones that knew this, was the Izumo, and the two other mobile suits. As in both the Raider FS, and the Sword Calamity, were two of Samorei's clones, in the S. Calamity was Savir, and in the Raider Full Spec, was Saxton. The two raced for the Kusanagi's now deployed M1 mobile suits. Athrun had launched from the Eternal, which was now in combat along side its fellow ships. While Dearka, and Sam's other clones, Saxen, in a M1A while Azure in a M1 launched with Dearka from the Archangel.

"Round two." Dearka said, as he was coming towards Rena Imelia and her Buster Dagger. Both began to exchange fire with each other.

"Class is now in session." Rena told herself, as the two mobile suits began to open fire at each other with their weapons.

Savir, and Azure, began to take each other on in their machines. Between the two though, Azure was getting Savir use to the controls of a G-Weapon. The same was between Saxten and Saxton.

Athrun on the other hand, for all he could do, was dodge attacks from the Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider.

Both Morgan and Ed though began to fight various M1 Astrays. That was until Morgan dodged an attack from a M1A's beam rifle. "Gunbarrels!? I better keep my focus or else." Barry Ho commented, as he dodged a beam rifle shot from Morgan's machine.

"A Mass produced model, lets see what it has to offer." Morgan smirked, as he released his machines Gunbarrels.

The M1A used its advanced thrusters to head in a certain direction. "A shot, at this speed and angle will work right about now!" Barry told himself, as the beam was fired, with it, Morgan was caught by surprise, as the beam piereced through one of his Gunbarrels.

"What?" he asked, as he fired again.

Meanwhile, the Jade Frame, still under cloak came closer and closer to the Kusanagi. "Kusanagi, this is Samorei, do you read?" he asked the ship.

With that, Cagalli's face came on screen. "Samorei, where are you?" Cagalli asked.

"With me." Mina told her, as her face appeared in a mobile suit cockpit. "Allow me to come aboard." she told her, "I got something for the lioness." she told her.

With that, the Nosferatu released the Strike Rouge, and now the machines countdown of Mirage Colloid has begun. Sam however, turned his machine, and took off towards the Forbidden. Athrun was having a hard time with the three of them at once, but before he knew it, a pair of columns of purple and and white energy nearly struck the Raider. "Sam!" Athrun franticly called, as he saw the Jade Frame appearing from under its cloak.

"You again!" Shani called out, as he came at Sam with his scythe. Because of this, the Right arm came up, to block the blow of the deadly weapon. "How dare you show that machine again!" he called.

"Shani, what the hell is wrong with you?" Sam asked, as Athrun stayed out of that, and kept the other two machines at bay, so Sam could take on the Forbidden.

Everyone was still un even, that was until a multiple blast of Plasma, and railguns came through, taking apart Daggers, heads and arms. "What?" Ed asked, but barely got his anti ship sword up, to block a double saber attack from the Duel Gundam. "You again." he told himself, as he blocked the sabers, as the two melee oriented machines began to fight.

On the Archangel, Allenby came to its port side hangar. "Sorry were late." Allenby radioed, as she was heading in. "I need a medic team here since yesterday." she told them.

"_Are you injured_?" Murrue asked.

"No, Mu is." She said lowering the Strike.

Murrue felt her heart stop for a second. "_How is he_?" she asked.

"I'll live." Mu replied to her. "Just took a couple of thats all, nothing serious

"_Incoming!" _Sai called out, as he was in time, with Arnold putting the Archangel into a dive, to evade the gottfried beam cannon from the Dominion.

* * *

On the Dominion Wiel stood as he watched, and calculated. However, something caught his ear from his own electrical warfare officer. "We have incoming captain! Seven Nazcas are moving for interception!" he told him.

"Well well, it seems things will be getting more intense." Azrael noted.

"_A three way battle._" Glaeser said with a smile. "_I did not even know it was my birthday!" _he said with a laugh._ "Tell our machines to watch out for enemy mobile suits!_"

Wiel nodded. "Glaeser, you handle the incoming Nazca's." he ordered. "Leave the Rogues to us." he finished.

"_Well well, I always did like shooting at my actual enemy._" Glaeser snorted.

"Sir, we are receiving a message from their lead Nazca!" Wiel's communications officer infromed him.

"Put it through." he told him.

With that, a voice none of them actually recognized came on. Unknown to them, a fellow Nelson class, was listening in on their radio signals. "_Attention, Earth Forces allinged Archangel-class ships! Before we commence our battle, I'd like to return a captive to you."_ The voice echoed to them.

On the three ships, they were full of confused looks. However on the lone Nelson, Banken smiled, and with that, he turned. "Tell Heero to go to his machine, I wish to acquire this prisoner." he told them.

However, with the battle, Kira dodged a Scylla blast from the Calamity, while Athrun dodged an attack from Raiders Zorn cannon. While the Archai began to get closer to the Nazca's, which were releasing their GINNs. The Vesalius however, released a pair of CGUE's, one was a original spec, while the other was Shiho's DEEP Arms.

Another Nazca however, launched an additional machine, as a GINN High Maneuver Type 1 launched. Inside, doctor Michail Coast took off within the machine. "Lets see, where is the source of the virus?" he asked, heading towards the battle. With this, all hell has broken loose, as Machines faught each other. The only ones they should not fire at, are their allies, but they had a very large group of eneimes to fight. Archai launched its last two mobile suits, a pair of Raider Full Specs, to keep the Enemy GINNs at bay. The Izumo itself, launched a pair of M1A mobile suits, and a pair of M1B's to protect it self from the GINNs as well. The Kusanagi, and Archangel did the same for themselves, and the Eternal.

* * *

On the Kusanagi the Strike Rouge touched down within the hangar. Cagalli came in, as she saw the mobile suit. "The Strike?" she wondered, as Mina came out, and floated over.

"Sorry Cagalli, but this is Orbs own Strike, the Strike Rouge, use it as Orbs Symbol." Mina told her, getting a confused look from her.

"What are you getting at Mina?" she asked.

Mina smirked at that, and crossed her arms. "Let me compare you to the true lioness, those out there, are you own cubs, and now, its time for the Lioness, to help protect them." she told her. "This machine is yours Cagalli, use it, to protect the ideals of Orb." Mina told her. Cagalli looked on in shock.

A few minutes later, the Strike Rouge was ready on the Catapult. "Cagalli Yula Athha, Strike Rouge, Launching!" she called, and with that, the mobile suit launched from its station.

Meanwhile, Samorei was using his machines arm as the weapon against the Forbidden. "Why are you doing this Shani?" Sam asked again, as from the way it began, Shani and his side, thought the Nosferatu came from the Archangel.

"Because you bastard, Its the only way I can keep the pain subsided!" he yelled, as he fired a volley of Plasma at Samorei. Sam dodged each blast, but with hard strain to himself. The Izumo was getting close to the Kusanagi.

That was when, from the Kusanagi, through the communications of the Izumo, Mina told Wiel something. "Commander Halberton, leave the kusanagi to us." Mina told him. And for all they knew, it was coming from the Izumo. The Clones that fought each other, as they broke their attacks. Savir, grabbed a beam boomerang, and threw it towards Ed the Rippers, machine.

Ed dodged the attack, "What?" he asked, as then the Sword Calamity of the Sahaku's had its beam sword clash with the Earth Forces machine. The beams clashed with power, of the Melee Oriented machines. "Captain, the Sahaku mobile suits, they've turned on us!" Ed radioed.

"What!" Sutherland yelled, as with that, he noticed, as the Izumo began a hard turn. And fired its gottfrieds at the Dynameis. "Dodge that!" he ordered, as the ship dodged to the Port side. With that, Mina came on the screen of the three Archangels. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Mina Sahaku smirked at the exchange she got. "Well, all of you can think of this, consider the Alliance of the Sahaku's, and the Earth Forces, Terminated!" she told them. And with that, the ships, had began to have more even sides. Six Nazca's, with one being destroyed by the Archai. Three Archangel Class ships, and the Rogue Ships. With it, the Rogue Ships have gained extra fire power.

* * *

On the Eternal's bridge, Waltfeld smiled. "Perfect." and with that, he opened a link with the Archangel. "Captain Ramius!" he called.

_"Captain Waltfeld?"_

"The _Eternal_ and the _Kusanagi_ will deal with the _Nazcas_," Waltfeld told Murrue. "You take care of the _Dominion Izumo, take care of the Dynameis_."

_"Roger that,"_ she agreed._ "We'll get through them."_

"_But of course._" Ayya told them, even though they knew she was friendly, they had no idea, who this woman was.

* * *

On the _Dominion_, there was a different tactical dilemma unfolding. "The _Vesalius_ had deployed a lifepod, Sir!" the fire-control officer reported. "It's floating through the debris now."

Wiel wondered, who this prisoner was. "Why the hell would they deploy a life pod into the middle of a battlefield? Without even a response from us?" he asked.

"Good Question." Azrael agreed. "Well, what do you want to do Captain?" he asked. "Think they want us to pull it in, or destroy it?" he said strokeing his chin. "If this is a trap, it's a strange one. Is there really a captive aboard it?" he asked.

That was when a signal of the Lifepod came to life, as the voice of its occupant filled the Earth Forces communications. _"Somebody, help me! _Archangel_, anyone, please! It's me! Please, help me!"_

Sutherland, was the one, to know that voice instantly. "Wiel, order you machine to get that pod!" he ordered.

Wiel wondered why, but then, the answer came, "_It's me!"_ the voice repeated._ "Flay, Flay Allster!_ Archangel,_ please rescue me!"_

The _Dominion_'s captain instantly reached a decision. "Calamity! Ensign Sabnak, retrieve that pod at once!"

The biological CPU's surprise was evident. _"What?"_

Azrael glanced at the man. "Are you sure about that, Captain? It could still be a trap."

Unlike Azrael, Wiel knew that name very well. "Ensign Sabnak, do as I order now!" he repeated himself. He then turned to Azrael. "That! Is the last member of the Allster Family, the daughter of the late Vice Foreign Minister of the Atlantic Federation." he told the man.

Flay was continuing to transmit through random channels. _"Please, help! I... I have something with me! It's a key! The key that's supposed to end the war!"_

The Archangel's crew, knew the voice instantly, with that, on the Izumo, the captain had a look of fear in her eyes. "No." she said, as she went over to her ship communication area. "All of Izumo's moible suits, stand down! Go for that Lifepod!" she ordered them. Savir, and company had no objections.

Neither did Samorei. "No." Shani then got in his path.

"Your not going anywhere." Shani told him. However, Shani saw, in the Jade Frames Eyes.

"Get out of my way Shani." he said, with Shani still in his path. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he yelled, as his eyes went into a blank stare, as the veins around his eyes bulged. Immediately, he brandished a beam saber, and flew right towards the Forbidden, with all the gloves off. The Beam saber, seared through the back pack of the Forbidden, severing a part of it, from the machine completely. However, the Jade Frame, did not stay to finish the job, as its thrusters went for the life pod.

With the Freedom, Kira was momentarly distracted, the Calamity fired, destroying one of the mobile suits wing. That was when Kira snapped back into reality. "FLAY!" he yelled, as the Freedom charged off, in pursuit of the Earth Alliance Machine. Athrun Justice, tried to catch him. Within Kira's mind, he was chargeing to protect her. "I will not let harm come to her again." he told himself.

"Kira, wait!" Athrun shouted. "Just wait a minute-"

Kira payed no heed, as the Freedom continued on its path. The Calamity ever getting closer. But before the Calamity could get to it, the jade Frame came in. "Don't you dare touch her!" the machine came in, with its clawed hand, ready to grasp anything. With the force of Samroei's device in his head, affecting the mobile suit, the claw clasped around the Calamity's head. And with the shear force, the claw heavily damaged the head, in a sickening sound of crushing metal.

"What!" Orga called out, as the Jade Frame, took its foot, and kicked the Calamity away. Kira got close to Flay, but before he could do anything, something bad happened.

"Not today!" Banken yelled out, as with it, four Gunbarrels appeared out of Mirage Colloid, firing at the Freedom. One blast, destroyed its head, another destroyed the right arm, and the last two, destroyed the Freedoms other wing.

"Hahahaha Terminate!" Cotho yelled, as his machine came in, chargeing its Zorn cannon.

"Kira!" The Justice neatly slid into the path of the next plasma burst, taking the energy fire on his own shield. "Kira, your machine's in no condition to take them on!"

Kira ignored his friend, instead adjusting his radio. "Flay!" Frustrated, he tweaked the frequency slightly. _"Flay!" _

With that voice, the Wing Gundam came up to the life pod, and place its hands around the pod, in a protective way. Banken smirked, as the Wing took off. With it, his machine cloaked itself under Mirage Colloid.

"Kira?" Flay said confused, but then, she could make out the Jade Frame. "Sam?" she wondered, as somehow, she felt it to be true, that the two were indeed there.

"Banken!" Samorei yelled. "Damn!" he yelled. "Savir, Azure! Get the Forbidden!" he ordered, furious with himself. Kira, was about to take off, after the Wing.

Athrun, anticipated it, and with it, did not allow the Freedom to go, as the Raider left them alone, to escort the damaged Calamity back to the ship. Shani though was mad and continued to fire his Plasma cannon, destroying GINNs.

"No, Kira," he said softly. "There's nothing you can do."

"She's someone I hurt," Kira said, voice strange, even to his own ears. "I... I have to protect her."

While the Buster and Duel covered the retreat, of the machines, as they broke off from their initial opponents. With the key with Banken, who has been known to fight along side the Earth Forces, the Archangel Clash ships, signaled a retreat. With that, the Earth Forces Machines followed their orders, and began to retreat.

Lacus Clyne had hit upon a plan, though. "Captain Waltfeld," she began.

Waltfeld glanced back at her. "Hm?"

"Target all weapons on the _Vesalius,_" she requested. "If we can blast through her, we'll have a clear path to safer territory."

"But if we charge right at them," DaCosta protested, "all three of them will target us directly! We wouldn't stand a chance!"

Lacus shook her head. "If we concentrate fire from both the _Eternal_ and the _Kusanagi_, she'll go down fast; and once she's gone, we'll have a clear path."

Waltfeld considered this, then smiled. "You're right." He looked down at his sensor officer. "What about the Izumo and the _Archangel_? Are they in range to assist?"

"Negative, sir, not yet."

"Hmm. Well, we'll manage. Prepare main cannon and all three of the METEOR units." He tapped a radio key.

"We're locked on, Captain!"

_"So are we,"_ Kisaka said from his Bridge.

"Then it's time." As this was about to begin, the Strike Rouge, got to the Freedom, as it shot a GINN before it could attack.

"Come on, we have to hurry." Cagalli told them, as the Izumo, and Archangel changed course, to follow the Eternal and Kusanagi.

On the Bridges of the _Eternal_, _Kusanagi_, and _Vesalius_, the same command rang out. "Fire!"

The Five ships fired simultaneously; and this time, it was not the force with superior numbers that won. The _Nazcas_ had more ships, but their opposition had more powerful guns... and they were all trained on the same target.

* * *

On the _Vesalius_, Captain Fredrik Ades gritted his teeth as the damage reports came in. "We can't control the plasma surge! Ship temperature is rising too fast to control!"

Ades slowly stood. He knew he was a dead man; the instant those ships had chosen to single out his, his luck had run out. _It was a good war,_ he thought. _At least I die in good company._ Ades raised his hand in a salute to those who had destroyed his ship, and died with his honor intact.

Watching the _Vesalius_be consumed by fire and explosion, six pilots with the Three Ships Alliance saluted: Athrun, Dearka, Yzak, Allenby, and on the Izumo, Nicol, as well as Samorei all saluted him.

"We're retreating," Rau Le Creuset told his pilots and remaining ships. "It won't do any good for us to fight the Earth Forces now."

Unmolested, the _Archangel_, _Eternal_, Izumo and _Kusanagi_ sailed onward in their long journey. Away from the Colony.

* * *

Samorei touched down in the hangar of the Izumo, with his machine powered down, he landed, and with that, his fist slammed the hard metal floor. "Damn it!, Damn It!, DAMN IT!" he yelled. That was when he saw the assistant captain floating down. She was strong, for not breaking down, like Samorei has done, but she knew, that Sam hated to fail, thanks to the bloody Valentine. In her hand, was a small bottle. While over by the other machines, with the Forbidden finally running out of power, Mechanics were opening the cockpit. Before it was finished opened, Savir and the other clones, who landed in the hangar, because of what they knew of their host was doing.

The door finished opening, but before anyone knew it, Savir was sent flying, from a kick to the stomach. That was when the teal haired pilot jumped from the cockpit. To everyone, they saw that the teenager was in pain, from some sort of internal force. Much like with Sam , however, Shani had it from a different source. "AHHH!" he yelled in pain, as he threw his helmet, hitting the face of mechanic. "Stop the pain! Stop the pain! STOP THE PAIN!" he yelled as he held his hair and head, like it was going to explode. With this, the four clones grabbed a hold of his arms, and legs, and they could feel the fighting of the man.

"Lady Ayya now!" Savir called down, and within moments, she was up there, grabbing a hold of the spazzing out Shani's chin. She popped the cap off of the container she held in her right hand poured it into Shani's mouth. To Shani, it tasted familiar, but it was somehow different, but he drank it anyways. To him, his pain began to subside, calming him down.

"Argh!" he yelled one last time, as he broke his right arm free from Azure's grip. With that, he noticed Samorei floating up towards him.

"Shani, welcome to your new home." Sam told him, as the green haired pilot, looked at Sam, still under somewhat of his battle mentality, but still him.

* * *

Meanwhile on the Eternal:

Kira was being taken by Athrun towards the medical area of the ship. Allenby was informed of Kira, and was on her way from the Archangel. While the Strike Rouge itself touched down in the Eternal's hangar. "In here." Lacus told them, as she floated ahead of the two, as Athrun and Kira went in first, with Lacus followed behind them.

Kira, was almost out of it, with the tears of the silent crys he has been doing, ever since the Wing Gundam had caught the pod. "Kira? Are you alright?" she asked him.

Kira's head turned, and his eyes widened in recognition; but he was not seeing Lacus Clyne. Instead, he saw Flay Allster, and she was calling to him. _"Kira!"_

He looked away. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and his eyes closed.

"Kira!" They called franticly. But the onboard Medic, just looked at him.

"Nothing to worry about, he has only fainted, he just needs rest." he told them.

"From todays events no doubt." Athrun considered.

* * *

Murrue was visiting Mu in the _Archangel_'s Infirmary. She, too, had heard what happened to Kira, and was speaking to the _Eternal_'s Bridge. "What?" She listened for a time. "I see. Thank you. Please take good care of him." Murrue hung up, and turned to the sickbed. "Kira fainted," she told Mu; she picked up the photo album that rested on a stool next to the bunk, sat, and opened it. "But they tell me he wasn't wounded in battle."

Mu sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised," he said quietly. He, too, remembered how close Kira had once been to Flay; his failure to rescue her, coming on the heels of learning his true origins, must have hit him hard.

"I'm told he'll be fine, though." She idly sifted through the pictures; they had been brought back from GARM by Allenby, for reasons perhaps that no-one knew besides her.

"My father..." Mu began quietly, "was an... arrogant, and tyrannical man. He thought he could solve every problem, even death, with his money; and he didn't really care about anyone else. Especially his own son." He paused for breath; he still wasn't exactly in great shape. "He died when I was little, and that's really all I can remember about him." The Hawk managed a quiet laugh. "But I never expected _this_. And a defective product, at that." He mused. Refering to what Rau said at the end, being a defective clone of his father. "I wont let that man full fill his whacked out dream." he finished.

Murrue, was on the brink of not paying attention, instead she thought of someone else. How her old mentors own son, was now their enemy, when she was good friends with the captain. Sure she was older, but he was a friend none the less.

* * *

On the Eternal, Cagalli, and Allenby entered Kira's room. Already there, was Lacus and Athrun. Cagalli then saw the picture beside Kira's bed. He himself brought the picture, and Lacus had it framed for him. Cagalli instantly picked it up, as she took out her own. "Our mother." she said, looking at the two pictures. Allenby however, seemed to have another picture, an bigger one, that had more to the picture itself, as on the womans lap was a small toddler. And on the back, it said Banken. Something she could not fully reveal to them, learning it herself just moments before. Not with what happened to Kira out there.

Athrun looked at it, as Ahmed came in, wondering over to Cagalli, as he put an arm around her, looking at the picture. Athrun just looked at it though, nothing more, then glanceing at both of the pictures.

Attention refocused on Kira as he finally stirred. "Kira?" Lacus said softly, looking down at him.

That was when he saw Allenby this time, seeing Flays face on her this time. "Flay. . ." he said again.

"Kira?" Allenby asked, questionably. That was when to Kira's eyes, her face returned to her own.

"Sorry." Kira told her, as he turned away a bit.

"Kira." Cagalli said, worried of her brother. Kira never made eye contact with her, as though she was ashamed. Athrun, Ahmed, and Lacus nodded, as the guys began to drag Cagalli away. Completely ignoring her protests of what they were doing, but they were leaving him alone, with Allenby.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" she snapped once in the corridor.

"Now's... not the best time to ask him about it," Ahmed told her with a slight smile.

"He needs someone other then his sister right now." Athrun told her, as he then took off, Lacus not very far behind him.

* * *

Inside the room, Allenby sat on the bed infront of him. Kira was sitting up right, tears forming again.

"Kira." Allenby began.

Kira shook his head. "I failed her, I must be feeling what Sam felt, back then." he told her. "No, I can't cry. . ." he said whiping the tears away. Allenby leaned in, giving him a peck of a kiss.

"Kira, it is alright to cry, it makes every one of us Human." she told him, and with that, Kira did, as he cried in her lap. All she could do though now, was rub his back to tell him, that she was there for him.

* * *

Meanwhile: Banken's Nelson Class ship Helen:

Banken walked towards a room, where two armed guards stood. The very ship itself was being occupied by the same crew from the Tarawa class ship he had on Earth. "So, Miss Allster, at last we meet." Banken told her, as she looked up at him. She still had the disk Rau Le Creuset gave her.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

All Banken did was smile to her. "Flay, I am the Avenger." he told her. "I will help you with what you want my dear." he added.

"I want to see Kira again." she told him, sheepishly.

With that, Banken had a wide smile. "Well then, you came to the right person." he told her. "I just need this Key you spoke of, and I will see to it, that you see Kira again." he told her.

With that, Flay extended the disc to him, as soon as Banken touched it, his smile grew, as Flay let go of the 'Key' into Banken's hand.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I know you will all see, in some instances the scenes are rushed. The reason is that I had somewhat of a hard time, fitting the Izumo into the Events, along with the two other Archangels, and four extra Nazca's.

Besides that, Banken now has the final Key. And that I hope everyone liked the chapter, and the next chapter will take part, for the two month period between episodes 46 and 50.


	36. Chapter 36: Second Voyage

Chapter 36: Second Voyage

* * *

Nelson Class Helen

Banken walked down the hall, to his quarters, as he held a disk in his hand. Just moments ago, Flay Allster, his ace in the hole so to speak. She gave him a disk, that was said to be the Key to end the war. To Banken, it was the key to his own power, as soon, as he found out just what exactly it was. Upon entering his room, he sat at his computer screen. With it, he inserted the disc into the disc drive. Within moments, the data on the disc began to show on the desktop. "Dreadnought, Salvation, Justice, Freedom, Regenerate, Testatment" he said with a smile, and then the information went onto what they all had in common. "Neutron Jammer Canceler." he said with a smile. "She was right, It is the Key!" he said, and with that, all the information on the mobile suits on the disk was downloaded into the ships mainframe, as did the Neutron Jammer Canceler. "Commander Bail, do you read?" he asked.

With that, on the monitor, a small window popped up, with the face, of a stern looking old man. With Long white hair, and a white beard. "_Yes sir_?" he asked.

"Get the Mechanics working on the information that is new to the ships mainframe. I want Voyager upgraded, with the various information that is listed here." Banken ordered.

"_Yes sir._" the captain told him. "_What of the girl, and Azrael?_" he asked.

"Azrael, will need a price for this information, as she did say it was the Key, and it indeed is." Banken mused as he turned in his chair. "The girl, Flay on the other hand, is another Key, for my challenge against the Archangel's former Strike Pilot, in a one on one match. So this time, Joule, will not get in my way, if he knows what is good for him." he added.

He looked on through, as he cycled through the mobile suits in the data, as he did so, he looked through the special systems each of the mobile suits had. And their designated Locations, for the units that were not stolen. "I want the specs of the machines, to help with my own." he finished.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the Izumo:

Samorei, and Shani were laying on seperate beds, in the medical area. Do to this, the both of them, were getting brain scans, to see what the Earth Forces have been up to. Behind the glassed windows, were the Captains of the ships. Ayya was the head of the scanning, even though her mind was occupied with what happened to Flay. The Junk Guild, was currently with them, with their new Cornelius class ship, the ReHome. Many of the original members that knew of the Archangel being built on Heliopolis, knew that the ship itself, was designed to support the Archangel Class. However at the moment, Sam layed with his eyes closed in the machine, while not far from him, Shani did the same, rather calm then he usually is.

During the past few days, Shani has been asking for a music device. And most of the time, he could be found wandering alone aboard the ship. Almost he was like, that of a lone wolf, an outcast, and the only person he has been even speaking to was Samorei. Lacus turned to Ayya who was typeing on the monitors keyboard. "Anything?" she asked as Ayya nodded.

She then went to certain parts, "It seems Shani has some deviation of a device of Samorei's. However can only activate upon usage of the drug, that we still administer, and lingers in his blood." Ayya told her. "The Drug is Gamma Glipheptin. A Drug, that stimulates the consumers muscles, and enhances his anger. The Device, stimulates his body, allowing to combat at a skill of a coordinator, like Athrun." she told them.

"Just what are the Earth Forces up to?" Mu asked, wearing his uniform, however underneath, still bandaged up. He looked at the two subjects that have been altered by the Earth Forces, for their own purposes. "They go against coordinators, because they are not natural?" he asked, as Murrue looked at the two of them.

"Then, they make soldiers who are un-natural, for their purpose?" she questioned, the people, she once called an ally. Mina nodded, as she looked in, to receive a thumbs up from Sam.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tolle who is the new Helmsman of the Izumo walked into the Cafeteria of the Archangel, to see Sai and Mir there. "Tolle!" Mir called out, as he smiled and waved at them.

"Hey guys, and I am not alone." he told them with a wave, and with that, he grabbed someones arm, and dragged him in. They saw exactly who it was.

"Kuzzey?" Sai asked.

"Hey guys." Kuzzey said a bit nervous, "It has been a while." he told them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yzak floated down the corridors of the Izumo, with both his former teammates. Even though his team mates were still there, he was worried however. With the Recent activity down on Earth, of the ZAFT forces retreating from the Planet, something big was coming up. Boaz has been reinforced, with soldiers from the PLANTs, and those that were once planet side. "Something wrong Yzak?" Nicol asked. He was once again a mobile suit pilot, but unlike the others, he is now piloting the ORB main force, a M1 Astray, that the Izumo brought along.

Yzak wondered it, as he went to a viewport. "Have you all seen what is going on?" he asked.

"Yeah, there are little to no ZAFT forces on the Planet right now." Dearka commented.

Athrun just floated not far from them, as he wondered of that girl. _Rosa turned to Athrun. "The attack begins tomorrow." She told him, in a whisper. "Go and protect the angel of light, protect, the one you once called a best friend." She told him, walking to a different room, leaving Athrun looking at where she went. _"Just what is going on?" he wondered.

"Hey Athrun, what are you thinking?" Nicol asked, floating not far from his friend.

Athrun just shook it off, and turned to Nicol. "Nothing, I just wonder now, of what my father is planning." he questioned.

"Mom" was all Yzak said.

* * *

A while later, the Archangel's bridge crew continued, as Murrue approached Natarle. "Lieutenant Badgiruel." Murrue called out, as Natarle turned to her.

"Captain." she said nodding. With that, Murrue passed her a folder. "What's this?" she asked.

"Your Transfer papers." Murrue told her, with a bit of a smile.

"What?" Natarle asked. "Why?" she added.

Murrue just continued to smile. "The Izumo does not have a true experience captain, to replace Mina." she told her, as Natarle looked at her a bit confused. "You see, Ayya, will be now working around the clock, to help with Shani Andras, and the Izumo needs a proper captain." she told her.

"Does Lady Sahaku know of. . ." she began, as Murrue just nodded.

"Yeah, she knows you, and what you have done for this ship. That is why she personally chose you, for the position." Murrue explained.

"But. . ." Natarle said still surprised of her transfer. "But me captain?" she asked, as Murrue put a hand on her shoulder.

"Lieutenant Badgiruel, or should I say, Captain now?" she asked her. "Trust me, you will make a very fine Captain." she finished.

* * *

Meanwhile: Dominion:

Wiel looked at a screen where Banken was on. "Just what is this proposal Banken?" he asked. All that was seen was the white haired man smile.

"_You know, I have something that Director Azrael would really like to get his hands on._" Banken mused.

"_Just get to the point_!" Sutherland ordered him.

Banken just smiled. "_Please Sutherland, don't get your diaper in a knot._" Banken joked, which did not go well, as Sutherland looked rather angry from the comment. "_I now have the key, Miss Flay Allster said that would end this war._" he continued. "_I will gladly hand it over, on one! Condition._" he told them.

Azrael looked at him. "Well, what is it?" the director asked.

"Uh uh uh, I want the condition first, is that I only hand over this information, and not the one that originally had it, I want the Custody of miss Allster." Banken told them.

Wiel looked weirdly at Banken, but then Azrael told them. "You have a deal." he told them.

"Director!" Wiel began to counter it.

"What Captain, its the 'Key' To end this war, it be far more precious and valuable compared to what he is asking it for." Azrael told him. "We would be complete udder fools to pass on this offer." he finished.

"_I am glad you agree Director._" Banken mused. "_I am going to transmit the Dominion the data._" With that, the data transfer had begun.

* * *

On the Nelson class, Banken turned from the screen. "Bail, have the ship set course towards the Archangel's last known destination, as soon as the transfer is complete." he ordered.

"Yes Sir." Bail told him. "Commander, may I ask you a question?" Bail asked.

Banken turned to him, as he hit the transmission off. "What is it?" he asked.

"Sir, why did we just give them the ability to use nuclear devices again?" he asked. Banken let out a hearty laugh because of it.

Banken smiled at that. "Bail Bail Bail, there is somethings, even someone like you cannot comprehend to understand. You see, I have knowledge of certain ZAFT projects, and this event here, is just small compared to what they have." he told his captain.

"Sir, the data has finished being transmitted." the communications officer told him.

"Alright, activate the Mirage Colloid, and move out!" he ordered, and with that, the ship had its engines go at full power. Leaving behind the three Archangel class ships. About an hour later, the three ships began to change course, back for the moon.

* * *

Kusanagi:

Savir floated up to Asagi, who was taking a look at the new machine in their hangar the Strike Rouge. "Wow! This is impressive, it looks much more advanced then the M1" Asagi commented.

"Easy with it." Erica Simmons told her. "Quite the intresting things with this now." she added in, taking a look at the arms. "Savir, what are these here?" she asked.

"Those." Savir began. "Are light wave shield technology." he told her.

Mayura turned around. "Isn't that the Umbrella of Artemis?" she asked.

"Yeah." Savir told her. "The same shield that surrounds the station, has been placed in mobile suit size. It should last only ten minutes though, with the second battery we used on the machine, for the shields only, the other battery is for the rest of the machine." he told them.

"That makes sense." Juri commented. However, unknown to them, Cagalli looked at the machine, with Ahmed beside her.

"Quite the gift your rival gave you." Ahmed commented, startleing Cagalli.

"Ahmed!" she said a bit surprised, however not loud enough for the people down below to hear. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Not long, just admireing you from afar." he told her.

Her cheeks filled with a blush, as she turned away a bit ashamed of it. "Ahmed, you know I don't like when people say that." she told him.

"Well it is true." he told her, floating over. "Especially me, when I first met you, you were just someone who was good at military tactics, making our gorilla campaign, into more of a military group. Where we actually had more kills then losses at times." he told her.

"Just what are you getting at?" she asked turning to him, but before she knew it, his lips had landed onto hers, she first tried to push him away, but something, deep down inside, was telling her otherwise. She began to calm down, as her hands slowly went to his shoulders.

* * *

While this happened, aboard the other Izumo, Lacus was in the hangar, as she saw technical crew doing many different things in the hangar. It seemed the only time, the place was not busy, was when well, battle was a foot, where the place was to be cleared for the mobile suits in the hangar. "This is rather, interesting." she commented, as Waltfeld was not far from her. They left DaCoasta as the commander of the Eternal for now, as they took a look at the machines in the ship. Down below, the Forbidden was only down to its frame, with most of its weaponry, and equipment removed. Namely that its backpack, was completely removed, and being worked on. Namely is that the technicians were working on, what seemed to be the shield technology the mobile suit had. That was capable of bending the beams fired by its opponents. Another group, was interestingly enough, placing some sort of connection in the mobile suits right hand, and on the corresponding area on the scythe.

"If they don't trust him, why are they working on his machine?" Lacus asked him.

Waltfeld smirked at that. "He may have been our enemy, but I was once their enemy as well. All they need to know, is a reason why Andra's will stay with us. Something that will tie him here." he told him.

She looked at him. "Isn't it enough for Sam is here?" she asked him.

Waltfeld shook his head. "They are re designing the Forbidden right now because of his wishes, but the people of our little alliance, needs more proof for him to stay." he told her. "Yzak, has a strong tie to his brother, Dearka is having a strong tie, to Kira's friends, and Nicol believes in a greater piece, while Athrun, is as well a strong willed person connected to Kira." he continued. "His friends are also among us, ever since the Heliopolis disaster." he finished.

"So, unlike Shani, everyone has a deep tie, to not betray us." she commented. That was when she made a decision, "I trust him." she told the desert tiger.

"Why do you say that?" he asked her.

"Because. . ." Lacus began. "Well, just call it, womans intuition." she told him.

"HARO, INTUITION!" the pink ball in her hands called out.

* * *

Inside one of the crew quarters, Shani was laying in one of the beds, with his leg drapped over the edge of the bed. The door to the room slid open, as he looked at the visitor, as Mina walked in, with no body guards, or anything, showing a symbol of trust. "So, the queen of the ship has graced me with her presence." Shani mocked, as he began to move his leg rocked back and forth. "So, what does your highness want? To poke me with more needles like the Earth Alliance did?" he asked.

"No." Mina told him. "I know what happened to you in the past." she told him.

"Right, and are you going to believe me unlike that damn jury did?" he asked. All Mina did however, was nod. "Right. And now, I am suppose to believe that?" he asked her.

"Yes, I know what happened to your mother and sister." Mina told him, earning her a look, and then Shani rolled, so that his back is to her. "They were killed weren't they?" she asked.

"I thought you said, you knew." Shani told her, as he just layed there. There was nothing but silence, as Shani just sighed. "Yeah, they were both killed." he told her. He then sat up, and looked at her. "And in return, I killed their killers, and was sent to prison because of it." he told her. He then removed the large clump of tealish green hair, out of the way of the left side of his face. "This eye, shared the same color as my mothers eyes." he told her. "Out of everything, this is the only thing of myself, that resembles her, hence the only thing I can say I got from her." he added in, as he stood up. He easily walked over to his window, which he could see the asteroid, that scured his view of anything else. "Mind leaving?" he asked her. Mina looked at him a bit strangely as he said that. "I said leave!" he told her. Mina stood up, and nodded.

"I understand." she told him, turning to leave.

"Miss Sahaku." he said before she could leave, as she stopped. "Thank you, for allowing me to stay here." he told her, and with that Mina smiled, with Shani just standing there looking out the window, with the door closing behind them.

* * *

A few weeks later, Kira came floating down the hall, towards Cagalli's quaters. He knocked on the door, "Cagalli, I think its time we talked." he told the door. On the inside Cagalli nodded.

"Its unlocked." she told him, and with that, the door slid open, as Kira came in, with Cagalli just leaning against the wall, in a morgenrete jacket. "So what do you need to talk about?" she asked.

"About, Mendel." he told her, sitting on the bed.

"About mom?" Cagalli asked, as he shook his head.

"No, about our father." he told her. "Ulen Hibiki, the head scientist researcher at the station." he told her. With that, he explained to her, everything Rau told him at the colony, from the acts of Ulen taking his own child, and putting himself through so much. Kira continued on, to tell her, that their mother, was the sister of Caridad, Kira's appointed mother, throughout his life.

"Dad, was really like that?" she asked Kira, as Kira just shrugged.

"Out of what I have learned." Kira answered her.

"And that Banken, is our brother?" she asked, as Kira just nodded. That only left one question for her to ask. "What of the third one, who did that man speak of, for a third?" she asked. All Kira did was shake his head.

"I don't know." he told her. "I just can't believe I am such a monster!" he said, making a pair of fists.

"Kira, you are yourself." Cagalli told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You, are the only one, who can make who you are." She told him.

"Thanks Cagalli." he told her. The two talked, for a while after that, as while this was happening.

* * *

Allenby had decided to finally actually take a look, at Orbs finest, and only type of space force battleship. "This is rather amazing." She said, able to find herself at one place, and then another major area, within moments. "Orb really knows how to make things." she commented.

That was when she heard a pair of people coming up. "You see, I want the scythe fully operational soon, along with the Gold Frames new sabers." one man said, as Allenby recognized the voice, instantly.

"Sam?" she began, turning around.

"Hold on a moment." Sam said to the second chief mechanic of the ship. "Hey Alley, how are yeah?" he asked her.

"You haven't said that, since the day we broke up." she said, placing the hands on her hips.

"That is true, but besides that, I am actually quite busy at the moment, both the Gold Frame, and Forbidden Darkness, are almost complete." he told her. "And I need to finish the final modifications." he told her.

"Oh, its nothing, If you are busy, I'll come back later." she told him, as Sam just shrugged.

"Come with me, you are a pretty good mechanic yourself, so it would be interesting to see what you think of the two machines." he told her, as he floated backwards towards the second head mechanic, with Sam actually being the head mechanic of the ship.

Allenby smiled at that. "Sure." she commented, and with that, the two went into the main hangar hold. Allenby looked up, to see the two now standing mobile suits. The Forbidden, was now a different color completely, being a dark green, along with a black color scheme. On its back, what was once the part that went over the machines head, was now hardwired to the back. Two Manipulater arms, were connected to the shoulders of the mobile suit, and would either be on the back, acting as a pair of wings, for more maneuverability, but are capable of flipping over, and acting as the shields on its pre used form. The twin railguns though, were placed on the mobile suits actual back, and now go under the mobile suits arms, and fire from that position. The Plasma Cannon itself was now located within the chest of the mobile suit, and could be fired like the Calamity type mobile suits Scylla Cannon.

"Wow." Allenby notioned. Next to it, was the Gold Frame, with now a pair of sabers sheathed on the hips fo the machine, but also, its new legs were to be noticed. Extra thrusters were placed on the back of the legs, but the legs were in the fashion of high heels. "Very Impressive."

"Hey, with Red, I can do anything." came a voice from behind them. Allenby turned, to see Lowe Guele the pilot of the Red Frame, and one of the mechanics that have helped Sam, since the ReHOME arrived a few weeks ago, to help with supplies and repairs.

"Allenby, this is Lowe Guele, a member of the Junk Guild." he told her.

"So, you gave my sister trouble on earth." Allenby commented.

"Umm, who would that be again?" Lowe asked her.

"The pilot of the tricked out CGUE." she answered with her arms cross.

"What!! That was your sister? Wait a second, I remember you. You were among the injured we found around the Lesseps!" Lowe came to the sudden realization.

"So you DO remember." Allenby joked with him.

* * *

Later on that day, onboard the Eternal, Kira, floated down the hall, as he saw Athrun up ahead. "Athrun!" Kira called out. But that was when, Lacus' voice came on the pa system.

"_Kira, please report to the bridge._" Lacus told them. As at that moment, on the other side of the asteroid, the cloaked

* * *

Helen hovered, as on the bridge, of the ship, Banken stood, with Flay within arms reach. "Good girl." He said, as he refered to Lacus.

"_Just what do you want with him?_" Waltfeld asked the person, he just met.

All Banken did was smile, as Flay tried to struggle. "Kira, is he really there?" she asked, as she took notice of the bridge's hatch opening, and came in Kira, and Athrun.

"_What is it?"_ Kira asked.

"KIRA!" Flay yelled, as soon as she did, Kira's head snapped around, hearing her voice.

"_Flay._" he whispered. "_Banken!, if you harm her I'll!_" he began, but Banken raised his hand.

"No need Kira, I have no intention of hurting miss Allster." Banken told him calmly. "I wish give you a proposition." he told the Freedom's pilot.

"_What is it?_" Kira asked the man, who seems to hold all the strings.

"I Want to fight you, one on one, no interference, from the ships, or any of your friends, or my companions." Banken told him. "In return, I will hand over Miss Allster, within a lifepod." he told the young pilot. "You may bring one friend, to receive miss Allster, but other then that, I want you to come alone." Banken issued to him.

With it, Kira immediately turned to Athrun, who just nodded. "_Alright Banken, you got a deal._" Kira told him.

"Good" Banken smirked. "Take her to the pod we received her in, and suit her up." he ordered, and with that, Flay was taking out of site. "Meet me on the top of the Asteroid that is beside your ship, the exchange, and the battle will be fought there." Banken told him. "With that, the Freedom, will fight, the Second Voyage." Banken told him, as the screen went blank.

* * *

On the Eternal, Waltfeld wondered what Banken meant about Second Voyage. "Just what is he planning?" he wondered, but Kira, and Athrun were already gone.

Kira, himself was running towards the hangar, with Athrun not far behind him. "Kira! You have any idea what you are about to do?" Athrun asked.

"I don't really care." Kira, told him. "I just want Flay safe." he told his friend.

"_She was someone I hurt._" Athrun had played back in his mind. "Alright." he told his friend. "But, we should take her to the Izumo, her mother would want to see her." Athrun told him.

"Yeah." Kira admitted. "However, as long as she is safe." he added.

* * *

On the bridge of the Eternal, the faces of the captains were shown. "_What!?_" they all notioned, as Natarle Captain now of the Izumo, Murrue, Captain of the Archangel, and Kisaka of the Kusanagi.

"Its true." Lacus began. "Banken is willing to hand over Flay Allster, as long, as only two of our Machines meet with him." Lacus told them.

"_But that is insane! They could be playing right into his trap._" Natarle commented.

Murrue nodded in agreement. "_That is true Natarle, but we have to look at it from Kira's point of view._" Murrue told her.

Behind Natarle, Samorei nodded. "_She is right captain. Flay is someone Kira cares for deeply. And now, we need to trust him_." he told her.

"_Alright, but I want this ship in standby mode, if Banken trys anything outside of what he said, I want our machines out there, ASAP._" Natarle ordered.

Murrue nodded. "_Have all personel go to their Level Two battlestations!_" she ordered, and with that, the ships all went into standby mode, just incase something wrong happened.

* * *

In the Hangar of the Eternal, the Freedom was set to launch out of the Eternal's lunar catapult. As it was ready, the warnings turned green. "Flay, hold on." Kira mentioned, as the Freedom took off from the Catapult, as its Phase Shift Armor became active.

The Justice got ready for its launch. "_Remember Athrun, to stay frosty, this could be a trap, the ships are all in standby, and are ready to help if anything happens._" Waltfeld informed him.

"Alright." Athrun commented, and with that, the Justice took off, following the Freedom, as they went towards the point of destination. Behind them, four warships, were prepared to attack, if the need arises, as the pilots of the G-Weapons, all climbed into their machines. Besides Cagalli and Mina, every mobile suit was ready, for combat. However, on the other side, only one machine was heading their way, it held a ZAFT emergency pod. The Mobile suit that held it, was the Wing Gundam, and it held it, protectivly. It arrive, as the Freedom, and Justice arrived.

* * *

The three mobile suits landed on the surface of the Asteroid "Where's FLAY!?" Kira yelled, as the Freedom aimed its beam rifle at the Wing Gundam. The Wing, slowly presented the the small pod.

"Call to him." Heero told the pods occupant.

"Kira!" Flay radioed, as Kira heard her voice, as his tears floated within his helmet.

"Is it you?" he asked, as Flay nodded, tears filling her own.

"Where's Banken?" Kira asked the Wing's pilot.

"Right here." Banken's voice echoed in Kira's head, as then, Kira could see it, as a Black and white Mobile suit appeared. Its General design remained the same, however, there was something different about it. Its head, closely resembled the Justice's now, along with on the subflight unit, a pair of railguns could bee seen, on the hip armor, two new plates could be clearly seen, with nozzles located on them. The four gunbarrels were more sleeker in design, then what they were in the last battle. All in all, the mobile suit had more weapons then it did in their last encounter, and was sleeker to be added. "So, what do you think of the second Voyage Kira?" Banken asked.

"I don't care." Kira told him. "Hand over Flay to the Justice now!" Kira ordered.

"My my, straight down to buisness this time Kira, I like that." Banken mused. "Heero, give the Justice the pod." Banken told them.

With that, the Red machine went over to the white, blue and red machine. The Justice stared at the Wing, as the Wing returned the favor. Then, the Justice held out its hands, as the Wing handed over the pod. "Open the pod." Heero ordered Flay.

She was in a space suit, so she did as she was told, with it the pod opened, and Flay could see the cockpit the chest of the Justice. Athrun looked down, he transmitted the Justice's sight to the Freedom, as Kira saw the face. "It's her Athrun, now get out of here." Kira called out.

"Right." Athrun said, as Flay went back in, as she saw the mobile suits tend to acknowledge it was her. She closed the pod, and waited as the Justice took off away from the Wing.

"Now, the both of our companions Kira, are to leave." Banken told him, as Kira nodded, with that, both the Justice, and Wing left the area of the duel. "Now Kira, time for your part of the bargain!" he yelled, as the Voyager came at the Freedom.

The Freedom jumped out of the way in time, as Banken had ignited a beam saber which the blade slashed right on through the rock. "Kira!" Athrun called out, as the Justice turned to see the Freedom dodge in time of the Voyager's attack.

"Oh no you don't." Banken smirked at the Freedom, as on the backpack, the sleeker gunbarrels detached from the subflight unit. However, it was different, as Banken had them moving in various directions. They moved in an unorthadox way, as they moved. Kira was good enough in order to keep terms on them all, as then they began to fire beams at him. The Freedom moved like its life depended on it, which it did. As Kira dodged the beams, he barely got out a beam saber to block the Voyager's own.

Kira took this moment as the Railguns snapped into position and fired, hitting the Voyager. Banken was a bit shakened, but then Kira's Plasma cannons went into position and fired on the mobile suit. Banken quickly had the remote weapons get in the path, as they bent the beams away from the mobile suit. "Kira!, You stand no chance!" Banken yelled, as his machine changed into its mobile armor form, as a gapping maw, from what the arms and legs became of the machine opened. Much like the Aegis, there was a cannon located in the middle. Out of the five hundred and eight millimeter area, a large beam of energy was fired. Kira barely dodged it, even with using the shield the beam would have been to powerful to withstand.

"Where did he get this power for his machine?" Kira wondered, as his shield took a hit by the beam saber from the Voyager's left hand.

"So Brother! How are you now, knowing the full truth of our family?" Banken asked him, as a beam saber emmited from the left foot of the Voyager, and came for a kick to the torso of the Freedom. But Kira used the Freedom's thrusters to move away from the beam.

Kira then began to multi target, as both of his railguns, and plasma cannons went into their HiMAT form. Voyager just backed away, and had its wireless weapons get in the path, as the Plasma was moved away from the mobile suit, while the railguns actually hit their mark. "Why? Why was our father the way he was?" Kira asked, as he fired a beam rifle shot at the mobile suit.

Banken smiled, as he brought up his beam rifle and fired, canceling out one of Kira's shots, and then fired again at the Freedom. Kira blocked it with his shield, as he put the rifle through the small hole on the shield, and fired at the Voyager. "Of course he was Kira, he wanted to create the best things for us! And now, we are the best, we are the strongest, we are the gods of this place!" he yelled, as then the two extra plates of armor on the Voyagers waist, detached, and moved along with the other four remote weapons. "We are capable, of dictating everything, we are suppose to be kings of kings!" Banken called out, as his saber came in at Kira. Kira moved out of the way, but was caught off guard, as a beam of a remote weapon turned Kira's beam rifle into scrap. Kira then returned the favor as he brought his HIMAT mode online again, and fired a volley of beams, and life ammo. Banken got the remote weapons in place, however one of the railgun shots made it through, as it turned the beam rifle of Voyagers into, nothing more the shrapnel.

"No one can be a god!" Kira called out, as he now brandished a beam saber, and with the Freedom's mobility, took off right towards the Voyager.

Banken then got the anti beam shield in the path of the attack. Kira then bounced away, and fired a pair of Plasma blasts at Banken. He easily got the remote weapons into the path, but that is what Kira wanted, as he came in. "Take this!" Kira yelled, as the beam saber seared through the remote weapon, having it detonate behind him.

"Bastard." Banken said, as with the remaining three, Banken fired a volley of missiles at the Freedom from them. Usesless to the armor, but if they hit, Kira would be shakened with the next attack. However, he knew this, and with that, the Picus CIWs fired rapidly destroying the missiles that were coming at him. However, as the smoke cleared, Kira could see the Voyager had verted to Mobile armor again, and had the maw open. "Take this!" he yelled. Kira barely dodged, however the beam cannon melted away part of the Freedoms wing. The Beam continued, as it hit the Asteroid below Kira, causing chunks of the Asteroid to break free from the main part. As Kira dodge though, he was then rammed by the remote subflight unit of the Voyager.

"Damn!" Kira yelled, as his machine went backward from the inertia of the ram. "I wont lose here!" Kira called out, as the Amethyst seed within his mind shattered. However like him, in Banken's head, a Seed Exploded as well, now the two were something else. Of the two machines, beam sabers clashed, in a brilliant display of light, and movement of the two mobile suit.

On all five ships, they had an audience of the crews, as they saw the best pilots of their groups duke it out, in a battle of the century. Kira then managed to sever the right arm of Voyager, as the mobile suit returned the favor one could say, as it severed one of the Freedoms Legs. "Kira join me, and we can rule this era together!" Banken yelled.

"Never, I wont rule with a tyrant like you! I am just an ordinary person, like my friends!" Kira called out, as his machine's fist punched the Voyager in the face.

"Then Join them, in the next life!" he yelled, as the Voyager changed into its mobile armor mode, coming right at the Freedom, with its maw wide open. Kira instantly had a flashback of this moment, of when Athrun had the Aegis pull the same maneuver.

"No!" Kira called out, as with it, the two railguns came into position, and at the same time, the Freedom slashed away one of the Voyager's leg, the same side of the other lost limb. And with it, his railguns fired upon the hyper impulse cannon's location. Both hit their mark, shaking the machine terribly. Causing it to revert to its mobile suit form.

"Damn you!" Banken yelled, severing the arm that wielded the beam saber, having it now float in space. Kira moved out of the next slash.

"Banken! I don't want to kill you! But if you continue like this, you will leave me no choice!" Kira called out, as with it, he threw the anti beam shield, having it make contact with the Voyager. As soon as Baken got his focus again, Kira was now wielding his second saber, and came in at him, firing his remaining ranged weapons, as Banken used his remote weapons to block them. However, the beam was to distract the Voyager's pilot, as both of the Railgun shots, hit their marks, destroying two of the remote weapons, while the beam saber vertically slashed the last one.

"What?" Banken roared, as the Freedom, kicked a Asteroid piece, as it rammed into the Voyager. "Argh!" he yelled, as his machine fell to the asteroid. Before Voyager could get back up, it was hit by the Freedom's leg, as the machine slammed into the asteroid, it could be seen the machine was hit hard into the space rock. Kira had the beam saber held high, as the Freedom looked down on the mobile suit.

"Banken, you lose." Kira told him, as Banken saw the saber. "This is the End." Kira began.

"_NO KIRA!_" came Cagalli's voice on the intercom, which stopped him barely, as the beam began to melt the cockpits hatch.

"Cagalli?" Banken wondered, as he could hear it himself.

"Kira, you shouldn't do this, he is your brother!" Cagalli began. "Our Brother." she finished.

"Cagalli, he plans to rule this world!" he called.

"_No Kira, you are able to beat him, Samorei is able to beat him, if he can't get past lifes obstacles, his desire will never come true. But please. Don't kill him._" she pleaded. With that, the beam saber's pillar of fire, vanished.

"Ok." Kira told her, as Banken's eyes were wide. "Banken, forget your foolish hunger to power, in the end, it will destroy you." Kira told him. That was when an incoming signal was heard. The Freedom was hit by a flying kick of the Wing Gundam. It slid across the asteroid, Kira was exhausted, and would lose to this fight. The Wing drew its saber, and began to rush right towards Kira.

Before it could get anywheres close, two pillars of purple and white light, struck the asteroid between the Wing, and the Freedom. The Wing stopped before it was hit by the onslaught, in between it, and the Freedom stood the Nosferatu, while behind it, the Forbidden Darkness was picking up the battered Freedom. "Go now, you boss lost, and if you attack the Freedom or me, You will have a large onslaught of attacks fired upon you." Sam called out.

Heero took notice, as he saw numerous of the G-Weapons landing not far from the Freedom. "Heero, listen to them, we lost today. We need to retreat." Banken told his mercenary, with that, the Wing picked up the remains of the Voyager, and took off towards its ship.

* * *

The other mobile suits, did much of the same, as they went for their ships, with the Freedom in hand, as well as the Justice landing in the Izumo. The Justice, was soon followed by the Jade Frame, Forbidden Darkness with the Freedom, while at the same time, a shuttle of various members of the Archangel's bridge crew, the Izumo's captain, Mina, and Ayya came to the hangar. Once the mobile suits and shuttles arrived, their occupants soon emerged from their machines, all heading to the ground, as Athrun gently placed the ZAFT escape pod on the ground. Kira still a bit shakened, was at the front of the line. The anticipated moment was shown in the eyes of everyone, as Athrun was the one at the keypad that would open the pod. Decompression of the pod began, as the pod opened. Inside, within a golden space suit, the occupant removed her helmet, to reveal that it was indeed Flay. She squinted from the bright lights of the hangar of the Izumo. "Flay!" Kira called out, as he jumped over.

"Kira?" Flay wondered, as she remembered the destruction of the Strike. "Kira!" she called out, as she wrapped her arms around Kira. Within moments, the students of Heliopolis moved, to welcome their friend back to their side. "Mir, Kuzzey, Tolle. . . Sai." she said as she could be seen to be very happy within her eyes, as she gave each of them a concerned hug. In the crowd, who did not go over to see her, Ayya's eyes were glistened by tears of happiness. To everyone but Flay knew, that she was happy, to see her daughter once again.

"Welcome back Flay." her friends pleaded, as Samorei came over.

"Welcome back." Sam told her, as she remembered the Jade Frame being punctured by the Aegis' shield.

"Sam." she said, still with tears in her eyes, as she embraced him. To everyone, Flay was back, and that was more then enough to help many of them, over the heavy damage, the Freedom was damaged by the Voyager.

* * *

A while later, after Flay began to catch up with various friends she was once with. Rondo Mina Sahaku, was actually gracious enough to give Flay a promotion, compared to what she was back with the Archangel. She was now wearing an Orb Uniform, with the stripes of a ensign, which was actually the lowest rank, on the Izumo. She wandered the ship, as she was beginning to comprehend with her new barrings, and for once, unlike the last two ships she has been on, she was not allowed to leave her quarters. She did not like it at all, and saw why the pink princess hardly stayed in hers, after the picked her up, from the wreckage of the bloody valentine. She was asked to stay on the Izumo, but she was happy as she floated by the medical room, and peered in. Sitting on the bed, was the light green haired Shani Andra's without a shirt on.

Flay caught a glimpse, of some blood was being siphoned from the mans arm into a vile. "Take a picture, it would last longer." Shani told her, as he noticed, she was spying upon what he was up to.

Ayya looked up, to see her, Flay did not know of her connection to Ayya, however she did know they were somehow related, with what their looks could comprehend. "Please, Miss Allster come in." Ayya said, a bit nervous as her voice was a bit shakened.

"Alright." Flay commented, as she walked in.

Ayya smiled a bit. "Flay, allow me to introduce Shani Andra's. Before you, he was our newest addition to this band of merry men." she joked a bit.

"he he he, funny." Flay said with a bit of sarcasm.

Ayya then smiled a bit. "So, how is George doing?" she asked, as Flay just stared at her.

Flay then looked away from her. "He's gone." she admitted. "Last thing he said to me, was something about my mother." she told the woman, and with that, Ayya smiled.

Ayya continued to smile, "I see, he changed in the end." she commented. Flay just looked at her, as Ayya nodded. "I haven't seen him, since you were only half a year old." she admitted, which Flay looked at her in a bit more confusion.

"Just what are you getting at?" Flay asked her.

Ayya smiled at that, as Shani just looked at her. "Geesh, you have yet to get it? She is saying she is your mother!" Shani scolded Flay.

Ayya instantly turned to Shani, and gave a loud smack to the back of his head. Flay just stared at the two, as this news, was something she was not prepared for. And realized, before her father died, he began to say "_Your mother is"_ and with it being finished with the word alive. "Mama?" she questioned, as Ayya just looked at her, with sympathetic eyes.

Ayya just nodded, as she saw the tears fill in Flay's eyes once again. "Oh Please." Shani moaned, as Flay and Ayya shared the same look towards Shani, and if looks could kill, he would be dead several times by the stares he got. "Umm. . . Ahh. . . I'll be going now." he said grabbing his shirt, and just leaving the room.

"What's his deal?" Flay asked, as Ayya just laughed a bit.

"He is an old friend of Sam's. And he has had some bad experiences in his life." Ayya told her, as she placed the blood she got from the teen, into cold storage.

All of a sudden, as Ayya's back was turned, she felt two arms wrap around her. "Mom, I'm glad you are here." Flay whispered, as Ayya smiled at that, and placed a hand ontop of hers.

"Flay, there is something else." Ayya told her, as Flay continued to hug her. "I am sorry to say, but your father has lied to you, for your entire life." she told her.

Flay backed away a bit, releasing her. "What are you saying?" Flay asked her. Ayya went over to her, and looked at her daughter right in the face.

"Flay, you have been raised good darling, but you were not raised to be who you really are." She told her.

"Wha?' Flay began. "Mama, what are you doing being so cryptic?" she asked.

Ayya just looked at her. "Flay, you are what you father raised you to loathe." she added in, as Flay looked at her still. "Flay, you are a coordinator, born from Mendel." Ayya told her. Flay just looked at her, with shock in her eyes.

Meanwhile, on the Eternal, a few mechanics were visiting, in order to help repair the battered mobile suit. One was a blonde haired coordinator, as he fixed his glasses. "This shouldn't be to hard." he told the orange haired youth beside him.

"Yeah, this'll be easier this time." Lowe Guele commented. "So, you actually planning on staying with this guys?" Lowe asked.

"Yeah, they have the same goal as I do, but I thank you, for taking me in, until now." he told him.

"Hahaha, no problem Jean." Lowe said a bit loud. He turned to the pink princess, who was standing not far from him. "You know miss, this was going to cost extra, but I can make an exception because of what you guys are going for." Lowe told her.

"I thank you for helping us again, Mr. Guele." she told him.

"Please, just call me Lowe." he told Lacus as she nodded.

"Well then, lets get to work." Jean told them, as he went towards the Freedom.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kira sat in the Eternal's Cafeteria, as at that time, the mechanics were repairing the Freedom completely. That was when Athrun walked in to see Kira. "Hey Kira." he told him, as Kira looked up.

"Hey Athrun, what's up?" Kira asked, as Athrun sat down, on the other side of Kira.

"Just came to see what you were going to tell me, before Banken showed up." Athrun told him.

"Oh that." Kira began. "Well, I am . . ." And with that, Kira told Athrun about the evetns at Mendel, which took them a while to talk about, and comprehend.

"This is not at all what I planned on having happen." Said a mechanical voice. Kira and Athrun looked around, as that was when, a small little vehicle, that looked like a box, on top of a remote control racer.

"What?" Kira wondered, just then, a light flashed upwards from it, and within it, a man of dark blonde hair, stood infront of them. "Whoa." Kira said a bit surprised.

"Hello Kira isn't it?" the hologram asked.

"Yeah and you are?" Kira asked.

"Oh, please forgive me, I'm sorry. My name, is George Glenn." The Hologram announced.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I felt like giving some scenes before the final stages, and the two months between Ep 46 and 47 be a good time. Now, here is a deal. Flay has now gotten back to the Alliance.

The Earth Alliance now has the NJC, Shani is getting accustomed to his new enviroment. Two new mobile suits have been seen, and now the Junk Guild is among them, with Jean Carrey making another appearance, along with Lowe Guele among them.

I know this chapter was different, and composed of new scenes of what I think could of happened during the break. Next Chapter, should finish up many things from this chapter, and continue on into the final phases of Gundam Seed.

Now, for another part, are these. I have a new mobile suits specs to put up. Along with one other thing. . . the Forbidden Darkness, is just the Forbidden, with a different look, and Phase Shift equipped to it.

But now, to the new Voyager

Model number: GAT-X400N  
Code name: Voyager II  
Unit type: Prototype Transformable mobile suit  
Resembles: Original Voyager, now with ZAFT Gundam equipment  
Color: Normal: Black and White  
Manufacturer: Helen Mechanics  
Operator: Unknown, "RAVEN" Pirates  
First deployment: July CE 71  
Accommodation:Standard Cockpit  
Dimensions:18.86. Meters  
Weight:97.42 Metric Tons  
Construction:Unknown  
Powerplant:Nuclear Fission Reactor  
Equipment and design: "Variable" Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, Experimental Subflight lifter, Mirage Colloid, "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor, Neutron Jammer Canceler, Mirage Colloid Virus Spreader, DRAGOON System

Fixed armaments: 4x MMI-GAU1 "Sagittus" 20mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 4 x MA-M01 "Lacerta" beam saber, 1 mounted on each arm and leg; shield, mounted on left arm; 580mm Hyper Impulse energy cannon, power rating unknown, operable only in mobile armor attack mode; 2x XM1 "Pristis" Beam Reamer, mounted on Hip Armor, can be guided on wires or Wirelessly in mobile suit, and armor modes; MA-M20 "Lupus" Beam Rifle, power rating unknown, stored on right hip, hand-carried in use; 2x MMI-M15 "Xiphias" Rail Cannon, Operable only in Mobile Armor mode

Remote Weapons: Experimental Subflight Lifter:  
(2 x M9M9 "Kero" turret machine gun (Mobile Armor Only, or Via Remote); 2 x MA-4B "Oda" beam cannon Mounted over arms in HIMAT Mobile Suit mode, and Mobile Armor mode; 4x various Missile Launcher (Only in Mobile Armor mode); 4x DRAGOONs)  
Wired Gunbarrels (1x Beam Cannon; 2x M70AMSAT missile; "Geschmeidig Panzer" Energy Deflection Armor)x4

Optional hand armaments: None  
Pilot: Banken

To Banken, this machine is known as "Second Voyage"

Well, See yeahs all next chapter


	37. Chapter 37: Down to the Last Minute

Chapter 37: Down to the Last Minute

* * *

The Holographic image stood infront of the two coordinators. "I see you know who I am, or so I judge from your facial expressions, and your silence." The Hologram crossed the arms. 

Athrun was the first to speak to the man. "George Glenn, but how, you were killed." Athrun told him.

"So I was, but my brain was preserved and thanks to the Junk Guild, I now have well somewhat of a body." He admitted, as he showed. "And I am glad to see, some true coordinators." George told them.

"True?" Kira asked him.

Glenn just nodded to Kira. "Yes, the way you and the rest of your companions, are fighting for. For the true purpose of what you all fight for, and that is to end the bloodshed." George told them, as his holographic body made it look like he sat at the table, as the little robot rolled underneath. "You see, My dream was for Coordinators, to live in peace with everyone else, not believeing to be a higher set of beings, or anything like that. The way I visioned, was the way that we all co exist, much like you do Kira." he told the young man.

"I'm just like everyone else however." Kira told him,as George smiled at that.

"That is exactly what I am saying Mr. Yamato, your way of thinking, is what I invisioned, not with the actions that both militarys are leaning towards." he finished.

"I see now." Kira told him.

:These ships, and their crew; they are something: George thought to himself with a proud smile.

* * *

On the Bridge: 

Martin DaCoasta went through a checklist, of what was going on. "It seems that we are almost done with everything commander." he told Waltfeld.

"Good, the sooner everything is online, we can get on with what we are all up to. How about the other ships?" he asked.

"The Izumo, came with nearly full supplies for its own crew, along with more mobile suits, for us to use, The others are doing well, with the Archangel's low crew count, and the Kusanagi has pretty good set amount of supplies left." he finished.

"Alright, thanks DaCoasta." he said, looking over to Lacus. "Something wrong?" he asked her.

"No, I was just thinking of father." she told him.

"I see." he said to her, sitting down. "However, you seem to be more in thought then that." he told her, as Lacus just smiled at that.

"Nothing to worry about." she told him.

* * *

Mu La Flaga, and Murrue, both were offered a small Tour of the ReHOME, which Murrue knew as a support ship, that was designed for the Archangel, with its design, it would be able to dock right underneath the Legs of the Archangel Class of ships. "Man, these guys sure know what they are doing." Mu pointed out, as they walked the halls. 

"Yeah, it is really something." the red headed girl infront of them. It was Kisato Yamabuki, a Junk Guild Member.

"I'm glad you like what we did with the place." The Professor told them, with a cigarette in her mouth, with her blouse undone. Mu, was having a hard time keeping it in, as under the shirt was nothing but her bare skin. It was a normal thing of the Junk Guild leader to be like that. "We also have someone, that you might know Mr. Hawk of Endymion." The Prof told him, as they came into the Hangar. Inside, were only a few units however, but the ship was not designed as a mobile suit carrier like what it was built to support one. The Astray Red Frame stood within the hangar, next to it, was a tricked out BuCUE, which was the former mobile suit used by Andrew Waltfeld, before the LaGOWE came into his possession.

Beside that machine, was a Works GINN, the original type of mobile suit first created, which was used for construction, rather then military. Also, a Chimera Mobile armor was settled on the ground. Much like the Archangel's, it was namely used for salvaging. But then was the last machine, a tall dark grayed machine, with a large red backpack was upon its back. "Hello, Mr. Prayer?" the Professor called up.

"Yes." a young teen called down. He looked no more then thirteen years of age, and blonde hair.

"Mind coming down here!" she called as Prayer nodded heading down, just as he did, Mu instantly felt something, he felt the link that he felt when Rau, Banken, and even when Morgan were around.

"That feeling." Mu said, as he saw the teenager come on down. The kid wore light blue pants, a stylish white shirt, with a noble like robed, and a golden choker. On the noble getup, their was gold trimming upon the edges, around the collar, upon the shoulders, and the forearms of the suit.

"So, you are the Legendary Mu La Flaga." Prayer began. "Prayer, nice to meet you." he told him extending his hand.

"Um yeah, nice to meet you." Mu told him, taking ahold of the teenagers hand.

"You have no idea who I am do you?" he asked, as Mu just shook his head.

The Professor smiled at that. She exhaled the smoke from her cigarette and grinned. "Commander La Flaga, I'd like you to meet, your father, or at least, another clone of him." she told him.

Mu's eyes were wide open from the news as he looked at Prayer. "No, are you serious?" Mu asked as Prayer nodded.

"Yeah, however my body may look young, but inside, I feel older then you Mu." Prayer told him.

* * *

Izumo: Crewquarters 

Samorei walked down the hall, he was taking a break from work, and wanted to find Shani. However, that was when he saw Flay, who did not notice him. "Flay?" Sam questioned himself, as he began to sneak along the wall, following them. Staying prone, he saw Flay hit the intercom to Shani's room.

"What?" Shani asked her as Flay looked at the man. He was laying on the bed, and had a blind fold of the sleeve of his uniform over his eyes. Like Flay, Shani has been granted an Orb uniform, however he mutilated his own uniform, by ripping away both of his sleeves, so that it was more of a muscle shirt. It was his own 'personal' touch of a uniform.

"Hey, we didn't get off on the right foot." Flay began, as Shani eyed her from the corner of his eye. She could tell that, he was skimming over her, starring at her. She felt something Eerie as she was skimmed over by the young man. "Umm, my name is Flay Allster, and yours?" she asked him.

Shani just layed back in his bunk. "Shani," Was all he told her. "There, we now know each others names, so leave." he told her.

However, Flay's fist clenched as she went right towards him, Shani looked at her, but before he knew anything, her hand smacked right across his face. Shani just looked at her in pure shock, as she just looked at him. "You have some nerve, someone other then my mother, Samorei, and Mina actually show some kind of good intentions towards you, and you just shrug it off!" she yelled. Samorei winced as he heard this, one thing he really knows of life, is when a woman gets angry, she can be worst then a F-5 Tornado. "Here I am trying to be nice to you, and argh!" she nearly screamed.

"Just leave me alone wench." He told her, but that was when he got another smack across the face.

"Now you hear me, rather then calling me names, how about you actually use my real name!" she told him. "My name is Flay, try saying it!" she told him.

"Flay, take it easy on him." Samorei said at the door. She turned as she saw a person she considered an older brother in a way. She remembered on the day her father die, hearing Samorei's speech when he first said who he was. It was vague to her, but she found out the damage the Jade Frame took from that fight. She also heard how he nearly gave his life, for a Natural, Tolle. And now, Sam was here protecting someone else in a way.

"Why, he shouldn't even be on this ship." She told him with her arms crossed. At this time, her Emotions were a bit mixed up, earlier when she Saw Shani, her mother told her she was a coordinator which kept confusion in her head. But ever since she was with Creuset, or her 'Man in the Mask' she had somewhat became more secure, and did not have her Emotions control her, like during that time with the advance fleet.

Shani looked at her as she said that, and was somewhat hurt by the statement. He liked it on the ship, people treated him as someone, even though he was a guinea pig to Ayya's work. But so was Samorei and he had a relationship with the ships supreme commander of sorts. "Sor . . ." Shani was having trouble with what he was going to say. "Sor. . . rr. . ." He tried.

"Well Spit it out" Flay told him.

"Sorry." he said, just barely in a volume Flay could hear him.

"What did you. . ." she began.

"I said I'm sorry ok!" Shani almost yelled at her. "Your the first person I ever said that forsakened word to anyone since my family died." he told them, he told her. Flay then saw it, a bit of a tear fall down from his eye. "The last time I said it, was right after their deaths, as I said it many times over my sisters Corpse." he told them.

"Shani, I didn't. . ." Flay began.

"Of Course you didn't!, No one did! No One Even wanted to listen to me, after I killed their killer, I was convicted through Mass First Degree Murder, I only killed one person, Clotho and Orga's gang did the rest." He explained to her. "I just wanted one dead, I didn't care afterwards. Then Azrael arrived, to give us a second chance." he continued, as he looked to the ceiling.

"So that is why you are like this now." Flay began.

"A second chance at life, but this time as a experiment." Samorei commented.

"Right, now Flay, as I said I'm worry for my earlier tone." he told her standing and began to leave. "Now I'm going to take a look at the Forbidden, I only got to fly in it once, and it was to retrieve that ugly mobile suit." Shani told them, as he left, heading for the hangar.

"Well, he is interesting." Flay commented, as Sam smiled.

"Yeah only if you say so Flay." Sam commented. "Well, I'm heading off to my own room, Orbs Machines may be good, but sooner or later, both ZAFT and the Earth Forces will get better machines." he told her. "Care to join me?" he asked her.

Flay looked at him, with a bit of a confused look. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, from what I heard with the eighth fleet, you were willing to pilot the Strike. Well Wars wont stay away forever, so how about we get to designing your own machine right now." he told her with a smirk.

"But, the Strike was the spur of the moment." Flay admitted. "I have no idea how to pilot a mobile suit, heck I just found out I was a coordinator!" she told him, as Sam raised a hand.

"Then after this is all over, I'll train you." he told her, heading out the door. "And with your personal machine, you'll know that its yours, and no one elses, and you can say you designed it, unlike Kira and the others. This Machine is well be one hundred percent yours." finished.

Flay reluctantly gave him an answer, and with that a nod, and the two of them, went to Samorei's own room.

* * *

A few weeks later, September 4th CE 71 

People have grown accustomed to seeing Shani, who has been pulling more weight around on the Izumo. Most of the crews have been staying in their own areas. Miriallia and Tolle are the only ones lately that have been jumping ships, in order to see each other. Everyone else however have been doing their jobs, and chatted at different times. Yzak and Dearka sometimes go over to the Izumo to speak with Nicol, and Samorei, while Athrun usually does so to talk to Nicol. Kira has sometimes came over to speak with Flay, as they talked and forgave and forget their past events.

The captains and commanders of each ship have gotten together at times, to discuss future plans, usually with their head pilots among them. The Freedom amongst others are fully functional, and are ready to be used when they need to. They seemed rather well, that was until the Izumo got some dire news.

"WHAT ARE YOU SERIOUS!" Mina yelled at the female officer on the screen.

"_Yes mam, the killer has escaped the station with your customed M1 Astray."_ The girl informed her.

Mina was not happy with this news, as she paced her office. "How many people know of this?" she asked.

"_Only the stations secruity and the Forensic Scientists"_ she informed her.

"What information can you give me right now, of the events?" she asked.

"_Only a few that we can speak of mam, just the victims of this event, and damage reports."_ She confirmed for her.

"Tell me." she told her, as the girl nodded.

"_Confirmed Dead: Lieutenant Commander. Lenard Maverick, Petty Officer Eric Matthews, Chief Petty Officer Loranso Merachic, Crewman first class David Marrow, and Samuru Joule"_ She added in. Mina's face stared at her with shock in her eyes.

"Samuru, is gone?" she asked herself as a glass she once held rolled on her desk, deprived of liquid besides a small trickle that leaked out of the glass.

"_One girl is reported missing, young Mayu Asuka as her brother reported her missing. And the only other knowledge is. . ." _she continued.

"No need to finish the rest." Mina told her as she stared at the wall. '_Just how am I going to break this to the others?_' she questioned as she looked at the screen. "Please, find out who could of done this act." Mina told her. "Rondo Mina Sahaku out." she told the woman as the screen went black. "Captain Badgiruel." Mina radioed, as Natarle came on screen.

"_Yes lady Sahaku?_" Natarle asked from the bridge.

"Please gather Samorei to the bridge, and ask Murrue to have Sam's clones go to the bridge of their ship. I want to tell our alliance something that has happened." Mina told her as Natarle nodded.

"_Samorei Joule, Savir and Saxton please report to the bridge._" Kuzzey informed the crew, as at the same time, he was opening up a hailing signal to the Archangel as well. Flay who was behind him turned in her seat wondering what was going on.

"Lady Sahaku sure looked worried about something." she commented to him.

"Something must of happened." Nicol commented, as he floated on the bridge.

Natarle wondered what could of happened, for Mina to ask for a meeting especially with Sam and his clones. "What's this about?" she asked herself.

About ten minutes later, the meeting began, with the other ships on split screen, and their head pilots among them, and on the Eternal's case, their only pilots. "_So what's with the sudden meeting?" _Waltfeld questioned, as many were wondering. No one knew of the information that Mina was about to say, as she was wired the information first.

"I wonder as well." Kisaka commented.

Mina nodded. "Several Orb soldiers were murdered." Mina announced, which eared surprised looks, especially from Kisaka, Erica, and Cagalli. On the Izumo the bridge turned to her.

"What when?" Tolle asked her.

"Two days ago." Mina told them.

"Any idea who is responsible?" Cagalli asked her, as Mina shook her head.

"We only have missing persons, Theft, and murders of three soldiers along with two mechanics" she informed them, then she turned to Samorei. "One of the confirmed dead was Samuru." she told them. The Archangel crew and former crew members knew the one she spoke of. Savir was the worst off though, as they heard his fist smash against the door of the bridge's entrance.

"Damn it!" he yelled, as Sam just shook his head.

"We have no idea who did this?" he asked everyone in general as Mina shook her head.

"Survivors only know is that the killer stole my M1, and is a girl, from what they could get during the fight they saw she was a teenager but thats it, everything else is vague descriptions." she told them. "I'm afraid the only two that would know who it was would have been Samuru." she finished.

Saxton sat down as he pondered. "What was the C.O.D. Of my brother?" he asked.

"Stabbed with something the size of a two inch pipe. The weapon has never been found. However, from what information I was sent, is that there was some kind of void in the. . ." Mina nearly finished until Azure spoke up.

"_Enough! No more_." he told them from the Archangel.

"_I agree._" Saxen began.

Sam himself nodded in agreement. "Set the M1 Mina Custom as a hostile suit." Samorei ordered as he turned to leave.

"Sam." Flay began as Sam just walked out of the area.

Yzak who was on the bridge of the Izumo followed his older brother out. "Sam, what's up?" he asked a bit of concern.

"Nothing Yzak, just this is kinda a shock" He replied.

"I see." He admitted.

* * *

A few weeks later, it had been two months since the battles of Mendel. And a month and a few weeks since Flay had returned to her friends. During the two months, they spoke with several members of their alliance, they have met up with the Junk Guild's ReHOME, along with her crew and the Captain. However, Unease was upon the ships, let alone the events of Ame No Mihashira has come to a shock to everyone, Earth has been no better. The Earth Forces Ayers Rock Landing Operation and Operation 8.8 which cleared most of ZAFT from the Planet, with only Carpentaria left upon the Planet under ZAFT control. Soon the Earth forces will no longer be among them. 

Samorei floated within the Izumo's hangar, checking over the specs of the ships mobile suit forces. He was unease, once Carpentaria is gone the Earth Forces could concentrate on the PLANTs themselves, and with the NJC now in their hands, several things could litterally go wrong. Ever since the bloody Valentine, Samorei had hated the Nuclear weapons. He did not even feel comfortable around the Justice or Freedom, do to their power sources.

On the bridge, Mina has contemplated much of what has happened in the past months. Ever since the opening of her lifepod, she has been with the Archangel for quite a long time. "Mam, we got some information coming in." Kuzzey called over to his captain and commander. "Its from ReHOME." The Junk Guild left a few weeks ago and was coming in again to re supply the ships again.

"Put it through." Natarle told him. The Izumo had moved away a bit, they had been around this Asteroid where the battle between the Freedom and Voyager, the Izumo was stationed further away as more of a scout then anything. "This is Captain Badgiruel, what is the urgency of this communications?" she asked.

"_Nothing major to report, but a sizable fleet from Ptolemaeus, the Sixth and Seventh Fleets, along with the Dominion, Archai and Dynameis"_ George radioed.

"So they are moving?" Mina asked him, as the holographic coordinator nodded.

* * *

Boaz Space: 

Glaeser smiled as his ship along with the other two, were being used to escort a force that was named the "Peace Maker Force" However his ship was far ahead as with the most combat experience, he was the lead of the attack on the space fortress. "Today, Boaz falls." he told himself. "Prepare our machines, Have them be backup to the Strike Daggers." he ordered. "Get me Banken as well." he ordered.

On the Helen, the ship flew not far from the Archai fully visible. On its hull was the mobile armored re built Voyager, as well as the Wing on the underbelly of the ship. On the sides were two Long Daggers, used by Socius Clones that were given to Banken. "_Banken here_" Banken replied.

"Are your pilots ready?" he asked, as his ship went into level 2 battlestations.

"_Yes they are_." Banken replied.

"Director Azrael." Glaeser radioed, as Wiel came on.

"_Begin the operation." _Azraels voice called. "Begin Operation Peace Maker." he ordered, with that, several Nelson class ships, and Drake Class ships began to launch their hordes of Strike Daggers, along with their Mobius Armors.

On Banken's Nelson class, the two long Daggers, as well as the Wing detach from the hull and head into battle. The Archai launched its Daggers, along with from the Archai, it launched its Buster Dagger, along with the gunbarrel dagger. "Set the Igelstellungs to automatic fire. Prepare Gottfrieds to fire on command, and arm both Lohengrins!" Glaeser ordered, as his crew oblidged. Down in the crew quarters, Rosa the girl from the orphenage had her eyes closed as she whispered several words.

Across the Vastness, Kira layed in bed, Allenby beside him, as he heard something. (_Kira, pain, pain is going to be ensured)_ Rosa's voice told him. He then opened his eyes as soon as the message ended. "What in the?" he began.

With that, at Boaz the Moonlight Mad Dog flys across space as his Gunbarrels were unleashed, having beams of emerald death sheer through Mobile suits, and that of Nazca's alike. Behind him, Rena Imelia combined her rifles. "Take this you space monsters!" she called, as her hyper impulse beam sniper rifle fired, as it shot through and through of a Nazca. "Lets teach them a bit of a lesson Morgan." she called as the Buster Dagger flew by him. It was built with the Daggers frame, so it had more movement the oppositions GINNs and CGUEs. Morgan smiled at that.

"What a woman." he said with a smile, as his 105 Dagger was right behind her, with the gunbarrels on each side of the Dagger. Rena then moved as she opened fire with her 350mm gun launcher which destroyed some D equipment missiles, as the 105 went above her, and fired a beam rifle right through the GINN that fired. "Sakura, above you!" he warned the Dagger pilot.

Sakura showing that she was better then most Naturals twisted her machine into position and fired the 94 mm beam rifle hitting right through the cockpit of the machine detonating it. "To Easy." she notioned.

The Wing flew right towards a GuAIZ, it pulled some unorthadox moves as it used its wing as it severed the Torso of the GuAIZ. It then changed into mobile suit form and fired its Buster Rifle right on through the back of the mobile suit to finish it off. The pilots face was emotionless as he had his machine turn and fired another shot, the beam was fired right at the correct moment as the blast shot through three GINNs with the single shot. Behind him, a pair of Long Daggers worked to well as a team as the fired their beam rifles and railguns in unision at oncoming enemy forces.

Glaeser smiled as he saw two unfortunate ships. "Lohengrin FIRE!" he ordered, as a pair of antimatter beams fired from the twin positron cannons. The energy streaked across space as they engulfed a pair of ships, leaving them nothing but scrap metal. "To easy." he commented.

"Enemy ship coming in on Starboard side!" the electronic warfare officer called.

"Target Gottfrieds and fire!" he ordered, with that, the two beam cannons take aim on the incoming Nazca and fired, going through and through of the hangar and the bridge.

Azrael smiled as he watched the fight go his way, the Earth Forces had completely thrown off ZAFT, with their trump cards. "_The peacemaker force is ready sure_" Sutherland reported from his ship.

"Very well, launch the peace maker force, and our machines to provide escort." he ordered. With that the Raider and Calamity Launched from the Dominion and the Sword Calamity and the two Raider Full Specs launched from the Dynameis.

Glaeser took note of this, and gave his two machines further orders. "Peacemaker has launched, provide escort!" he ordered.

"Hey Hey Hey!" Orga yelled as the Calamity opened fire with multiple beams towards enemy machines destroying them. Clotho came flying towards a pair of mobile suits.

"Terminate!" he yelled as a pair of beam cannons, which were so short ranged they appeared as beam sabers, emerged from the claws. The pair of beams engulfed into one mobile suit, as it then let go and transformed, firing its Mjolinir smashing into the enemy mobile suit, crushing its occupant.

Upon minutes, several forces were being killed, and the peacemaker force was much untouched. "What, those are." one pilot exclaimed as he went to give chase on the mobile armors, but was sliced in half as a beam boomerang went through the mobile suit. The boomerang was caught by the hand of the Sword Calamity.

"Sorry, but not today." Ed told no one, as he turned and fired his Scylla, not as powerful as the Calamity but still did the job as it destroyed a few GuAIZs. The Peacemaker force were no in range as they launched several missiles towards the fortress.

* * *

The Four ship alliance still stationary, they were planning on heading towards the PLANTs, knowing full well the Earth Forces were likley on their way there. "Hey what's going on?" Kira asked as he Allenby, and Athrun all emerge onto the ships bridge. 

Andy shook his head. "Boaz, it was just destroyed." he told them, as Athrun had fear in his eyes, as Boaz was one of the primary defences of the PLANTs.

"But how?" he asked.

"It seems, the key that Flay spoke of to us, was a key allowing the Earth Forces to use Nuclear weapons." Lacus told them.

That was when Kira remembered the words from his dream. "Kira, pain, pain is going to be ensured." Kira repeated the words.

"Kira?" Allenby asked.

"I had a dream and those words were said to me." he told them. "It seems that whatever it meant, was that boaz was to be destroyed." he explained.

"Strange." Waltfeld admitted.

Athrun sorta began to figure out what Kira was talking about. '_Was it Rosa? Is she able to reach across great distances now? What a strange girl.'_ he thought to himself. "We should inform the others, we must of gotten the message first, do to the origins of this ship." he informed the rest of the ship, as Waltfeld and the others nodded.

* * *

Archangel: 

"Its not surprising that the Alliance used Nuclear weapons." Mu commented, thinking of Alaska and Endymion. "They used the Cyclops on their own forces before, so a more dangerous weapon toward an enemy." he added in.

"I know, and its leaning towards the reason why we should stop them." She added in as she looked out the bridges window.

"I agree." he told her as he placed an around her, and nodded.

* * *

Kusanagi: 

Cagalli was looking over the machine that Mina delivered to her, again. The Strike Rouge, equipped with a pair of energy shields, which both had their own small source of power. They'd give her a use of three minutes, so she was to use them only when needed. It also allowed her to use two beam rifles with it. "Quite a nice gift." Ahmed commented as she turned to him.

"Hey Ahmed." she commented. As he arrived she took a glimpse over at his M1B. Its new paint job was almost at an end. It was various colors in brown, much like Cameo appearance of military covert ops desert cor. Most of it, was a light brown like the loose sands of the desert, its chest was a darker brown, as in blotches around the machine it was a brown that was in between of the shade of the other two. "Looks like your M1 is near completed in its new color." she commented as Ahmed smiled at that.

"Its my tribute for home." he commented, as she looked at him. "I'm calling it Sandstorm." he told her.

"I see." she said as she remembered the people she fought with of the Desert Dawn. "I see." she said again. "You miss your home?" she asked him.

"A little." he answered her. "Kinda odd isn't it?" he asked her, which earned a bit of a confused look from her.

"What?" she asked him.

"This alliance, for quite a while, my home fought against the Desert Tiger, and now look at this, I'm fighting along side him!" he almost yelled.

"The Irony within war." Kisaka commented as he came floating down. Ahmed went and saluted the man, and Kisaka just smirked. "No need Ahmed, I come to you as someone from your own hometown, not your commander." he commented. "I see your machine is nearly done being painted, just now the weapons to be done so." he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, it is." Ahmed added in. "hmhmhm" he laughed a bit, which earned him some more looks.

"What?" Kisaka asked him, as a gentle giant.

"Look at this, and we need is Sahib and we got us another Desert Dawn!" Ahmed laughed. Kisaka looked around a bit, and let out a laugh as well.

Cagalli just sternly looked at the two. "Alright you two, enough of that." she told them.

"Yeah I guess." Kisaka told them, as he turned to Ahmed. "Hey why don't we go to Tasil when this is all over, and throw back." he hinted to Ahmed who nodded.

Ahmed then turned to Cagalli. "Hey, when its all over, would you like to come as well?" he asked her, and all Cagalli did was nod a yes to him.

Elsewhere, Dearka decided to visit the Kusanagi, as he came walking through. As soon as he did, he saw the 'Astray Trio' walking towards him. He straightened his collar and approached. "Well hello ladies." he told them.

"Oh hey, Dearka right?" Juri asked him, as he nodded.

"Well well, interesting to meet you here, I'd thought you still be on the Archangel." Asagi told him.

"No, thought I'd take a look around here, I've only been to the Izumo, and besides, much more prettier girls here." he told them, which earned a giggle from the red head of the group, Mayura. "What? Its the truth." he told her.

Mayura nodded, "Oh don't worry, I've been told about you." she commented, which had a bit of fear shown in his eyes.

"Um, what exactly have you heard?" he questioned in a low tone.

"Not much, but from the sounds of your voice, you have some dirty little secrets." she told him, as the other two smirked at that.

"What, no I don't!" Dearka told her, in his defence.

"Hey Mayura, how about you try to have him tell you." Juri told her.

"Oh, yeah, now that is something to look foreward to." Asagi told them, as Dearka was backing away a bit.

Mayura then came closer to him. "Yeah, I have my ways." she told him as she moved her index finger along his uniform. And for once, Dearka was afraid of what he just got himself into.

* * *

Izumo: Medical room 

Shani, and Samorei were once again in the brain scan machine. Mina watched over, as the Allsters were working together. During Flay's off time, she was helping her mother out in the medical room, and as they worked on the two infront of them, she learned more and more about coordinators, and the horrendous acts the Earth forces had done to these two people, one Natural, and one Coordinator. But from this system, she was learning a bit more of the anatomy compared to a Naturals.

"Alright Mister Andras, your body is being a bit more potent to your addiction." Ayya told him, as the intercom reached the two subjects.

"Thanks" Shani told her.

"However, we have yet to determine what of the drug helps you pilot the Forbidden, so you'll be using it still. We just have to administer the antidote when you return to the ship, until we actually have it." Ayya told him, as Shani nodded.

"Understood." he told her as he looked up. "Thank god I'm not claustrophobic" he mused. Which earned a small laugh from Flay.

"Alright, Flay, you can get them out of there now." Ayya told her, as Flay went through the precautions, as the two people came out of the area. "We sure are making some progress." she admitted.

"Far better then those Earth Alliance Scum." Shani admitted as he grabbed his sleevless uniform, and wore it over his teal muscle shirt.

"That I agree with." Samorei told them. "So Mina, what is our ETA for the L5 Colonies?" he asked her.

"Seventy Two hours." she informed him. "All four ships are moving their now." she added in.

"Good to hear." he told her, as he thought of someone else. "Mom, were coming." he whispered.

* * *

Seventy Two Hours later: 

Pilots were climbing into their suits. Aboard the Archangel, Dearka climbed into the buster, as Yzak climbed into the Duel. Not far from them, Mu climbed into the Strike, as they were beginning for their final battle of the war. Not far from the Gundams Saxen and Azure climbed into a pair of M1's as the other M1's their pilots got ready.

The Kusanagi, Cagalli, wearing her pilots uniform climbed into the Strike Rouge. It was the only G-Weapon on the Kusanagi. However, aces were climbing into their machines. Ahmed went into his M1B which was now known as Sandstorm, in honor of his home. The Astray trio climbed into their M1's. However, two more pilots got ready, Barry Ho, climbed into his M1A, and Jean Carrey, who decided to stay with the group, do to the Ideals that he shares with the alliance. And his Ideals with the Freedom's pilot, were added in. He climbed into a full white M1 Astray, as the rest of the mobile suit compliment began to get ready. On the Izumo, their were a few types of G-Weapons, one was the Nosferatu as Sam got ready. Savir climbed into his Sword Calamity, as Saxton climbed into his Raider Full Spec. M1B's were getting ready as well, however one of the last machine was being occupied by Rondo Mina Sahaku. Her machine was completed, however was a bit different from the original AMATU. Its legs were equipped with more thrusters, and the feet were infact like womans heels. On the hips of the machine, were a pair of long sabers, which were heated.

Last machine though, was the newly formed Forbidden Darkness. It was purely black, but held a scythe in its right hand. It no longer had the huge backpack, as on its chest going down were the pair of railguns, and the head was equipped with the Plasma Cannon now. On its back, were the pair of shields, that doubled as wings now. Shani Andras settled in his seat, as he equipped a device to his wrist, and slipped a small cannister into it. It was his Gamma Glipheptin, there was enough supply that would of suited him, and his former comrades. "_Remember Shani, thoughs are only to be used, when you feel the withdrawl symptoms, and the last one, is to be used when the battle is over_." Ayya explained to him.

"Alright, Alright, I understand." he told her. "I'm also not to administer the first cartridge until I'm ready to launch." he added in.

"That is correct." Ayya told him.

"Roger that." Samorei answered for them. "Now this is the final battle, we end it all here!" he told his group.

Not far, from them Nicol climbed into his own M1 Astray. "Now its time to fight for the reason I joined." he whispered.

On the Eternal, three Mobile suits were being loaded. Kira within the Freedom, Athrun climbed into the Justice, as Allenby climbed into the Salvation Gundam. The three were the most powerful of the Alliances G-Weapons, and were to be essential in the coming battle.

"Mobile Suit Teams ready." The commanders of the ships mobile suit teams radioed. For the Kusanagi it was Ahmed, Izumo Samorei, Archangel Mu, and the Eternal it was Kira.

"Were ready." Kisaka commented.

"So are we." Murrue added in.

"The Eternal is ready." Waltfeld said to them.

"As are we." Natarle commented, as she sat in the captains chair.

"Yeah, lets end this!" Tolle yelled, from the Izumo's helm. He was full of adrenaline, as was most of the Mobile Suit pilots.

"We are going to be using the Meteor weapons in this." Waltfeld informed everyone. As on the bow of the Eternal, the three weapon platforms detached from the ship, and waited for their mobile suits.

* * *

"Everyone, if your killed out there, I'll drag your right out of hell, and kill you again!" Shani yelled. 

Samorei grimaced from that, as he was ready at the Catapult. "Samroei Joule, I wont let Junius Seven Happen again!" he called, as the Nosferatu went out into space, as it went out.

The Forbidden was next, as Shani smiled at that. "Shani Andras, I have a question, can I kill them all?" he asked, as his drug administered into his bloodstream.

"_Only your opponents Shani, but your priority is the Nukes"_ Flay answered for him.

"Fine." Shani admitted. "Forbidden taking off." he called as the mobile suit flew out.

Next up was the black and gold machine. "Rondo Mina Sahaku, for Orb." was all she said, as the AMATU took off.

Savir came next with his Sword Calamity. "Savir, taking off, in the Sword." he called out, as his machine took off.

Saxtons machine was next, as it was in mobile armor form. "Full Spec, moving out!" he called, and with that, the primary machines of the Izumo were off.

* * *

The Eternal's machines were next, as the three of them maneuvered, to connect to their METEOR Units, which were pretty much a ship themselves. 

"Athrun, Allenby you ready?" Kira called, as the Freedom attached to its own platform.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Athrun told his friend.

"All systems green, I'm ready." Allenby told them.

* * *

The Archangel's machines were next. "This is Yzak Joule Launching!" he callled. 

The Buster was next, as Dearka smirked. "Now this is interesting, if the Blitz and Aegis were still in one piece, this ship would have had its original mobile suits." he mused. "Buster taking off." he called out.

"I guess your right." Mu smiled, as the Strike was being equipped with the Gunbarrel pack. "Mu La Flaga, Strike heading out!" he radioed, as the Strike took off.

* * *

The Kusanagi was next, as it launched its M1's, including the trios, and the M1A's and Jean's machine. "This is Ahmed, Sandstorm taking off!" he called out, as his M1 B launched. Cagalli was the last one. "Cagalli Yula Athha, taking off!" the Strike Rouge emerged, and the entire Mobile Suit forces came together. 

Of the Archangel the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, GAT-X103 Buster, GAT-X102D Duel Delta, and four MBF-M1 Astray, the Kusanagi ten MBF-M1 Astrays, one MBF-M1A Astray, One MBF-M1B Astray, and the MBF-02 Strike Rouge, The Izumo's GAT-X133 Sword Calamity, GAT-333 Raider Full Spec, four MBF-M1 Astrays, two MBF-M1A Astrays, and two MBF-M1B Astrays , along with the GAT-X252E Forbidden Darkness, MBF-P01-Re2 AMATU Astray Gold Frame Mina Custom, MBF-P04/N4A2 Jade Frame, from the Eternal, the ZGMF-X08A Salvation Gundam, ZGMF-X09A Justice , ZGMF-X10A Freedom, each with their own Meteor units, and with that, each of the mobile suits of thirty six in total went for the battlefield, and the Fight for their life!

* * *

A/N: The Final Battle has come, Fate may be with them, or against them. Both Sides, are heavly into the fighting, with their forces completely devoted to kill one another. 

Who will survive, and who will die, find out in the next, one or two chapters (Just depends if I do so or not)

Ok, now as this is nearly coming to an end, I feel like putting up all the original machines that I had put into this fic. **18** in total, going from first to last, for debut.

(Also, I may have missed some, I kinda did not keep track of what came in and all that)

Also,the Disclaimers right now is that the White Frame was not mine, that belongs to Chaos Angel Darkheart

* * *

1. Astray Jade Frame 

Model number: MBF-P04

Code name: Astray Jade Frame

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Color: Normal: dark grey

Phase Shift:Jade, and white

Manufacturer: Morgenrete Inc

Operator: Earth Alliance, ORB

First deployment: 25 January C.E. 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.13 Meters

Weight:81.23 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, Hardpoints for A-Packs, hardpoints in hands for Orb and Earth Forces weaponry

Fixed armaments:2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head, 2x Beam sabres

A-Packs: Binsoku Pack, Isei pack, Subeta pack, Raikou

Binsoku - 4x enhanced Thrusters (Atmosphereic Flight) and also enhances movement in Space

Isei - 1x 212 mm "Raiden" Multiphase energy Cannon, 2x Anti Ship Missile Launcher (Mounted on Shoulders

Subeta: "Meran" beam boomerang (Mounted on Right shoulder),"Tatsumasa" 12.13 Meter Anti Ship sword, "Panzer" Grappling Claw on left arm

Raikou: Type 70-31 electromagnetic cannon x2

This is a mix of the Binsoku pack, and that of the Strikes Lightning pack.

Optional hand armaments: 1x Anti beam coated shield, 1x 57 mm high-energy beam rifle

* * *

2. BuCUE Allenby Custom 

Model number: TMF/A-Pmod A802

Code name: BuCUE (Allenby Custom)

Unit type: custom ground assault mobile suit

Manufacturer: ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty)

Operator: ZAFT

First deployment: C.E. 70

Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso

Dimensions: head height 11.07 meters (base of turret)

Weight: max gross weight 69.3 metric tons

Construction: unknown

Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown

Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown

Fixed armaments: double-edged beam saber, mounted on mouth, 2 barrel 450 mm Beam cannon mounted on back, 2x4 Tube Missile Launcher located on sides

Optional fixed armaments:

* * *

3. Astray White Frame 

Model number: MBF-P05

Code name: Astray White Frame

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Color: Normal: Pure White

Manufacturer: Morgenrete Inc

Operator: N/A

First deployment: N/A

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:16.54. Meters

Weight:14.0 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Sensors, Variable Colloid Release System

Fixed armaments: 2x Type 50 Beam Sabre, 2x "Igelstellung" 75mm CIWs, Segmented Heat whip, on right wrist

Optional hand armaments: Type 50 Beam Rifle, anti beam shield (Geshchmeidig Panzer)

* * *

4. Tarawa (S.Martin) 

Name: S. Martin

Type: assault landing ship/mobile suit carrier

Length: 280 Meters

Armament: dual anti-air beam cannon x 1, CIWS x 3, 9-tube vertical missile launcher x 3, "Geschmeidig Panzer" system generators

Mobile Hangar: YMAA-X2RB Proteus Mobile Armor x?, MBF-P05 Astray White Frame, GAT-X400 Voyager

On Deck: F-7D Spearhead or Kingfisher 33SP x30

(or additional mobile suits)

Ships of the Class: _Tarawa_, _Spengler_, _Powell_, _John Paul Jones, S. Martin_

* * *

5. Proteus Mobile Armor 

Model Number:YMAA-X2RB

Name: Proteus

Unit type: prototype amphibious mobile armor

Manufacturer: Aducarf Mechano Industries

User: Earth Alliance

Construction: Titatnium Alloy

Overall length: 25 Meters

Weight: 120 Tons

Powerplant:High Energy Battery

Armamament: 2x 75mm machine guns 6x various missile tube, 1x High Energy Plasma Cannon

* * *

6. Banken Custom Proteus 

Model Number:YMAA-X2RB

Name: Proteus Banken Custom

Unit type: prototype amphibious mobile armor

Manufacturer: Aducarf Mechano Industries

User: Earth Alliance

Construction: Titatnium Alloy

Overall length: 25 Meters

Weight: 120 Tons

Powerplant:High Energy Battery

Special Features: Mirage Colloid, and "Geschmeidig Panzer" beam deflection system

Armamament: 2x 53mm Beam machine gun (Also can create a Electro Magnetic field to bend the Phonon Maeser, and its own beams), 6x various missile tube, 1x Experimental Phonon Maeser cannon

* * *

7. Salvation Gundam 

Model number: ZGMF-X08A

Code name: Salvation Gundam

Unit type: prototype assault mobile suit

Color: Normal:Dull Gray

Phase Shift:Mostly Blue, however with a Black Torso

Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau

Operator(s): ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty); Three Ships Alliance

First deployment: 1 July C.E. 71

Accommodation:Pilot only

Dimensions:19.54 meters

Weight:73.2 tons

Construction:One of a kind

Powerplant:Ultra-compact Nuclear Fission Reactor, Power unkown

Equipment and design features: Sensors, Neutron Jammer Canceller, Phase Shift Armor, hardpoints for METEOR Unit

Fixed Armaments: MMI-GAU2 "Picus" 76mm CIWS x2, M100 "Balaena" plasma beam cannon x2 located on back pack and brought from under arms, much like the busters weaponry, ML-R07 Hyper beam swords, directly powered by generator via cable x2 Located on hip armor, RQM51 "Bassel" beam boomerang x2

Optional hand armaments: MA-M20 "Lupus" beam rifle x1, Anti beam shield x1

* * *

8. Astray Jade Frame Nosferatu 

Model number: MBF-P04/ N4A2

Code name: Astray Jade Frame V

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit

Color: Normal: dark grey

Phase Shift:Jade, and Black, white joints

Manufacturer: Morgenrete Inc, Upgraded at Sahaku RD Division

Operator: Three Ship Alliance, Terminal

First deployment: 25 January C.E. 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.13 Meters

Weight:81.23 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:2x Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, hardpoints in hands for Orb, ZAFT and Earth Forces weaponry, Trans-Mirage-Colloid

Fixed armaments:2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head, "Maga-no-Ikutachi", mounted on right forearm Doubles as a Anti Beam shield, 2 x "Magashira-no-Hoko" spears, mounted on back, Connected to wrist via cable, 2x "Halos" Beam Sabres located in flight pack, Type 70-31 electromagnetic cannon x2, Type-73F Kai high energy beamguns x2 (Located on hips), 1x "Gerbera" Dagger, (Located on left side hip mounted Beam Gun)

Optional hand armaments: 80mm Beam Rifle

* * *

9. Model number: MBF-M1 MC 

Code name: M1 Astray (Mina Custom)

Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit

Color: Completely black, with golden joints

Manufacturer: Orb Union

Operator: Orb Union/Clyne Faction/Earth Forces/ ZAFT

First deployment: C.E. 71

Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso

Dimensions: head height 17.53 meters

Weight: max gross weight 54.5 metric tons

Construction: unknown

Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown

Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown

Fixed armaments: 2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x Type 70 beam saber, mounted on forearms, hand-carried in use

Optional hand armaments: Type 71 beam rifle, "Yata no Kagami" anti-beam coated shield

* * *

10. M1B Astray 

Model number: MBF-M1B  
Code name: M1B Astray  
Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit  
Manufacturer: Morgenroete, Inc  
Operator: Orb Union/Three Ships Alliance  
First deployment: C.E. 71  
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso  
Dimensions: head height 17.93 meters  
Weight: max gross weight 79.50 metric tons  
Construction: unknown  
Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown  
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown  
Fixed armaments: 2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x Type 70 beam saber, mounted behind left shoulder, hand-carried in use, 350mm gun launcher, mounted behind right arm, can be combined with 82mm high-energy rifle, hand-carried in use; 94mm high-energy rifle, mounted behind left arm, can be combined with 310mm gun launcher, hand-carried in use.  
Optional hand armaments: 1x Anti Beam Shield, mounted on right forearm, 1x Type 71 Beam Rifle on right hip.

* * *

11. Voyager 

Model number: GAT-X400

Code name: Voyager

Unit type: Prototype Transformable mobile suit

Resembles: The GAT-X303 Aegis, Justice, and Gunbarrel Dagger

Color: Normal: White, and Black

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance Atlantic Federation

Operator: Unknown

First deployment: June 15th CE 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.86. Meters

Weight:91.52 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Ultracompact High energy battery

Equipment and design: Trans Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, Experimental Subflight lifter, Mirage Colloid, "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor

Fixed armaments: 2 x "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 4 x beam saber, 1 mounted on each arm and leg; shield, mounted on left arm; 60mm beam rifle, power rating unknown, stored on right hip, hand-carried in use; "Scylla" 580mm energy cannon, power rating unknown, operable only in mobile armor attack mode

Remote Weapons: Experimental Subflight Lifter:

(2 x M9M9 "Kero" turret machine gun; 2 x MA-4B "Oda" beam cannon, 4x various Missile Launcher, 4x Wired Gunbarrels)

Wired Gunbarrels (1x Beam gun, 8 x M70AMSAT missile)x4

Optional hand armaments: None

* * *

12. Wing Gundam 

Model number: GAT-X345

Code name: Wing Gundam

Unit type: Transformable High Maneuver Mobile suit

Color: Normal: Dull gray

Phase Shift: White, Red, Gold, Blue, navy blue

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Azrael Conglomerate

Operator: Earth Alliance/three ship alliance/Terminal

First deployment: CE 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:16.71 meters

Weight:41.19 Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant: Ultra compact, high energy battery

Equipment and design: Trans Phase(TP) Armor, Sensors,

Fixed armaments: Mobile Suit & Armor: 1x Buster Rifle, mounted in right hand in mobile suit, mounted under nose, of mobile armor's plane mode, 1x Anti Beam Shield Mounted over cockpit in mobile armor mode

Mobile Suit only: 2x ES01 beam saber

Mobile Armor Only: 2 x M2M3 76mm machine gun, mounted under the wings

Optional hand armaments:

* * *

13. Archai 

Fast Facts

Ship Type: Assault Ship

Class: Archangel

Launched: Archangel – 25 January C.E. 71

Dominion, Dynameis, Archai – June C.E. 71

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Orb Union

Operator: Earth Alliance(Atlantic Federation), Three Ships Alliance/Terminal, Orb Union

Ships of Class: LCAM-01XA Archangel, LCAM-02XA Dominion, LCAM-03XA Dynameis, LCAM-04XA Archai

General Characteristics:

Displacement: Unknown

Length: 345 Meters

Beam: N/A

Wingspan: N/A

Draft: N/A

Propulsion: 6x Thermonuclear Pulse Thrusters, 8 x Plasma induced Thrusters

Armor: Laminated Armor, unknown thickness

Armament:

Lohengrin Positron Blaster Cannon x2

Gottfried Mk.71 225cm dual high-energy beam cannon x 2  
Valiant Mk.8 110cm linear cannon x 2  
Igelstellung 75 mm automatic multi-barrel CIWs x 8  
Wombat/Corinthos/Sledgehammer Large missile launcher x 24  
Helldart missile launcher x 16  
Torpedo launchers (underwater) x 4  
Anti-beam depth charge launcher x 8

Mobile Suit Compliment:

GAT-A1 105 Dagger x2 (1 is Morgan Chevalier)

GAT/A-01 E2 Buster Dagger x1 (Rena Imelia)

GAT-01D Long Dagger x2

* * *

14. Dynameis 

(The Same as Archai, but only with a different mobile suit compliment)

GAT-X133 Sword Calamity (Ed the Ripper)

GAT-333 Raider Full Spec x2

GAT-01 Strike Dagger x6

* * *

15. Helens 

Name: Helen

Ship Type: Battleship

Class: Nelson

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance

Operator: Unknown

Ships of Class: _Nelson_, _Montgomery_, _Cassandros_, _Paris_, _Ptolemaois, Helen_

Length: 250 Meters

Armament: twin secondary beam cannon x3, main beam cannon x1, twin gun turret x8, torpedo launcher x6, 8-cell VLS x1, Mirage Colloid, "Geschmeidig Panzer" system generators

Mobile Assault Complement: GAT-01D Long Dagger x2, GAT-X400 Voyager (Docked in Mobile Armor form), 1x GAT-X345 Wing

Linear Catapult: x1

* * *

16. Duel Delta Shroud 

Model number: GAT-X102

Code name: Duel Gundam (Delta Shroud)

Unit type: prototype close combat mobile suit

Manufacturer: Morgenroete, Inc

Operator(s): Earth Alliance (Atlantic Federation); ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty), Three Ships Alliance

First deployment: 25 January C.E. 71

Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso

Dimensions: head height 17.50 meters

Weight: max gross weight 69.1 metric tons (normal mode), 90.74 metric tons (Delta Shroud mode)

Construction: unknown

Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown

Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; Phase Shift (PS) armor, (Shroud also has it), Atmospheric Flight wings, Aile Striker Mounted on back.

Fixed armaments: 2 x "Igelstellung'"75mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted on head; 2 x beam saber, mounted in Aile Striker Pack; 2x MA7AX "Norta" beam shotel's (Can be combined into a Giant Boomerang), 2x 9 tube M4A2 Fragmentation Missile Launcher (Mounted in Delta Shroud Shoulders), 2x MR4AX "Xiphias" Railguns Mounted on hips.

Optional hand armaments: 57mm high-energy beam rifle w/175mm grenade launcher, shield

* * *

17. Voyager II (Second Voyage) 

Model number: GAT-X400N

Code name: Voyager II

Unit type: Prototype Transformable mobile suit

Resembles: Original Voyager, now with ZAFT Gundam equipment

Color: Normal: Black and White

Manufacturer: Helen Mechanics

Operator: Unknown, "RAVEN" Pirates

First deployment: July CE 71

Accommodation:Standard Cockpit

Dimensions:18.86. Meters

Weight:97.42 Metric Tons

Construction:Unknown

Powerplant:Nuclear Fission Reactor

Equipment and design: "Variable" Phase Shift Armor, Sensors, Experimental Subflight lifter, Mirage Colloid, "Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor, Neutron Jammer Canceler, Mirage Colloid Virus Spreader, DRAGOON System

Fixed armaments: 4x MMI-GAU1 "Sagittus" 20mm multi-barrel CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 4 x MA-M01 "Lacerta" beam saber, 1 mounted on each arm and leg; shield, mounted on left arm; 580mm Hyper Impulse energy cannon, power rating unknown, operable only in mobile armor attack mode; 2x XM1 "Pristis" Beam Reamer, mounted on Hip Armor, can be guided on wires or Wirelessly in mobile suit, and armor modes; MA-M20 "Lupus" Beam Rifle, power rating unknown, stored on right hip, hand-carried in use; 2x MMI-M15 "Xiphias" Rail Cannon, Operable only in Mobile Armor mode

Remote Weapons: Experimental Subflight Lifter:

(2 x M9M9 "Kero" turret machine gun (Mobile Armor Only, or Via Remote); 2 x MA-4B "Oda" beam cannon Mounted over arms in HIMAT Mobile Suit mode, and Mobile Armor mode; 4x various Missile Launcher (Only in Mobile Armor mode); 4x DRAGOONs)

Wirless Gunbarrels (1x Beam Cannon; 2x M70AMSAT missile; "Geschmeidig Panzer" Energy Deflection Armor)x4

Optional hand armaments: None

* * *

18. Forbidden Darkness 

Model Number: GAT-X252E

Name: Forbidden Darkness

Manufacturer: Earth Alliance/Azrael Conglomerate/Sahaku R&D division

Users: Terminal

Unit type: prototype close combat mobile suit

Head height: 17.47 meters

Base weight: 85.33 metric tons

Special equipment: Phase Shift Armor, "Advanced Geschmeidig Panzer" energy deflection armor

Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery

Armament: "Igelstellung" 75 mm multi-barrel CIWs x2, "Armfeuer'" 115 mm machinegun x2, "Eckzahn" 88 mm railgun x2, "Hresvelgr" plasma induction cannon x1, "Nidhoggr" heavy scythe Thrusters on Scythe for faster swings x1 (Also Equipped with Phase Shift Armor)


	38. Chapter 38: The End Game Pt1

Disclaimer: I don't own as much as I wish to. All the characters, machines etc that belong to Sunrise, well are not mine.

Chapter 38: The End Game Pt.1

* * *

Jachin Due:

Ezalia Joule, stood infront of many combat ready soldiers, of the green and red uniforms. Most of them were wearing green uniforms. "Today is the day, we end this war, we fight for the lost ones, we fight for our friends, and family. Today all of you become legends, your stories will be told, in years to come, as the best of the best. Today we defeat the Earth Alliance!" she called out.

"Sir Yes Sir!" the entire military body that could be seen called. Jachin easily began to deploy their Nazca class ships, their Lauraisia class ships and their mobile suits, including the new model the GuAIZ, along with GINN's and CGUE's into battle. Even some variation mobile suits, this included Shiho Hahenfuss's CGUE DEEP Arms, along with a number of GINN High Maneuver Types.

The ships, went to reach for the final battle, however, Ezalia went to the control room of Jachin Due. "Lady Joule, welcome!" a soldier said in salute, as she walked on.

"Chairman Zala, our forces are ready for combat, they will attack when the Earth Forces are within range." she informed him, as Patrick smiled.

"Even without them, We'll win this war." he told her, as Ezalia nodded, each of the members of the base knew that it was in reality the control station of the **G**amma **E**mission by **N**uclear **E**xplosion **S**timulate **I**nducing **S**ystem. "Even with their Nuclear weapons, they wont stand a chance against GENESIS." Patrick told her.

"I agree, that is why our ships will protect the PLANTs." Ezalia told him, as he nodded in agreement.

Shiho hovered in her machine, they have to conserve what power, as everyone knew, this would be one long battle. "This is going to be hard." she admitted, as they could see the Earth Forces ships approaching.

* * *

Dominion Bridge:

"_Pathetic_." Glaeser told them. "_Numbers are meaningless in this battle._" Glaeser told them.

"It seems we have quality over their quantity." Wiel commented.

"In the end, it will do them no good," Sutherland commented from his bridge. "We have nuclear weapons again, thanks to Banken, all they have is nothing but mobile suits." he told them.

"I agree, even though we no longer have the Forbidden, our forces are still more then enough to take out their Machines." Azrael added in.

"What of said Alliance?" Glaeser commented. "The Sahaku's abandoned us, and joined the rogue Archangel." he wondered.

"If they interfere, we'll just nuke them as well." Azrael told them. "And after this, we can destroy Ame-No-Mihashira with Nukes as well, and that is only one station." he added in.

"Ahh, point for the director." Glaeser admitted.

Wiel was weary of the two of them. Indeed this is war, but total eradication is not a part of it. But right now, he was to follow his orders. "Sir, mobile suits ready for launch!" his crewman announced.

"But of course, we begin the attack, I want those hourglasses obliderated!" Azrael told them.

* * *

With that, the Earth Force Ships began to launch their own mobile suits. And with that, the battle began, as beams fired every which way, as did kinetic weapons. The G-Weapons from the Archangel Class ships launched, but they were not the only one. The Helen's Voyager, and Wing both launched as well, both of which were in mobile armor form, and both went for the opposition.

Shiho dodged a beam attack from a dagger, and returned fire with her machine gun, turning the mobile suit into swiss cheese. The Mobile suit was no more because of it, as she took another attack to her shield. "Bastard." she told herself as one of her thermal energy cannons snapped into position and fired through the chest cavity of the mobile suit. "Yzak, if only you could see me now." she told herself, as she had both of her thermal energy cannons into position, and began to fire them rapidly. Two GuAIZ's joined in the fray as they fired their beam rifles towards the enemy along side her. "Alright, lets go!" she ordered the two of them, as the three mobile suits went for the enemy.

On the other side, the Buster Dagger flew on through a pair of GINNs which were just bisected by a pair of beam boomerangs at the courtesy of Ed the Ripper. After that very event, she combined her weapons and fired upon a Nazca destroying that ship.

* * *

Dominion:

Azrael smirked finally, "Its time, release the Peace Maker force, their targets, are the hourglasses." Azrael told them. With that, several nuclear missile equipped Mobius Armors began to fly towards the PLANTs. Providing Escort to the Mobile armors, were the Raider, and its variable design of the full specs. The Calamity, and Ed, were also providing escort of the machines.

The Voyager slashed a GINN in two and released its wireless remote weapons, each one blasting either a GuAIZ or a GINN. "So, they have been launched." Banken mused as he dodged another attack and fired his beam rifle. "Geesh compared to the White Devil, and Kira, you are nothing." Banken told no one, as he transformed into his mobile armor form, and impaled a GINN with the legs and arms of Voyagers. Then he had them move apart, tearing the GINN apart. "Truly pathetic." he mused again.

"Ahh, poor poor ZAFT, beisdes Testament, and Regenerate, they have no G-Weapons, and those two mobile suits are with someone that doesn't even care about the PLANTs." Heero commented, as he moved with fast speeds with his Wing mobile suit. He reverted to mobile suit form and drew a beam saber and severed a GuAIZ's arm, and then took the blade into a backswing, severing the moible suit's torso. "Just where is that ship?" he asked himself.

The Ship he spoke of, was on the borderline of the battle area, along with three other ships of the Orb Military.

* * *

On the Archangel, Sai detected the PLANTs worst nightmare. "Nuclear Missiles detected!" he called out.

"You get that guys?" she asked the mobile suits.

"_Got it" _Samorei answered her.

With that, the mobile suits began to head foreward faster then they usually did. That was when Kira, Athrun, and Allenby began to use their Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer's to their fullest extent, as the targeting systems began. A fireworks of beams, and missiles fired from the three units, many beams went through forces, and began hitting the Nuclear Missiles.

"What?" Orga called, as he looked in the direction.

"Its them." Clotho told himself.

Shani's forbidden began to fire its Plasma cannon, the beam arced, and like the Meteor packs, they were destroying the missiles. "Now look at all those pretty lights." he mused, as the drug began to take over, as he went into his fighter persona.

To Samorei and Mina, they were a bit freaked out by it, but they continued anyways. "My Turn." Samorei called out, as he took aim at an Agamemnon-class carrier, the two cannons snapped into position, and the purple and white energy began to form, and with that, the twin columns went for the ship. The Beams hit head on, and began to cause the internal systems in the ship to explode, and the stationary Nuclear Missiles within the ship, began to detonate the Nuclear Missiles inside the ship.

"Sam look out!" Mina called as she got into the path of a beam, and taking it to the Trikeros. "Back off!" she called as she fired her beam rifle sending a shot through the leg, and then another through the chest of a Strike Dagger.

"Thanks." Sam called to her, as he drew one of his beam sabers. "Now lets go!" he called.

Yzak nodded as the Duel followed his friend. Each of the G-Weapons went into battle, as the M1 Astrays, were charged of protecting the ships. ZAFT was not going to shoot at a gift horse in the mouth, as they ignored the rogue ships, and continued to open fire on the enemy.

The Sword Calamity used by Ed, took notice of the Sahaku machine, and went for it. "here we go!" he called, Savir took notice of it, as he dodged a pair of beam boomerangs, and grabbed both of his "Schwert Gewehr" as did Ed. The four Anti Ship Swords connected with a clash.

Shiho saw the oncoming missiles, and dodged a beam from a Strike Dagger. She turned her head, and saw the Missiles and she was right in the path of the oncoming weapons. "Shiho!" Yzak came calling, as the Duel fired several missiles from its shoulder components. The Missiles instantly shattered, into flying fragments sheering through several missiles.

"Yz. . . Yzak?" she asked, as the Duel got between the CGUE and a Strike Dagger.

"DIE!" he called as he brought up his beam rifle and fired the propelled grenade, which smashed into the Dagger, and had it exploded because of which. "Shiho, you alright?" he asked her.

"Yz. . . ak." she began, as she then nodded.

"Come on, lets show these Earth Forces Scum, what we can do." he told her, which earned him a nod, and with that, the two mobile suits split apart, to fight the daggers. With this, beams were going everywhere, Mu and Cagalli fired on any missiles, and daggers that fell into their ranges, as Mu was using his remote weapons to help out, in such a stunt.

The three Nuclear Gundams were using their METEORs on daggers, and the missiles. Kira was disabling every dagger that he fired at, while Allenby and Athrun were destroying them, do to their personal ways. As with that, Allenby used one of her giant beam swords to use a vertical slash on a Dagger. "This isn't good." she told her comrades. "There is just way to many enemies." she told them.

Kira was using his smaller weapons to disable enemy mobile suits. Dearka was using both of his weapons on enemy machines, as Ahmed was not far from him, doing the same thing with his newly named mobile suit, rather then a M1B. "Time to teach you both a lesson!" came Rena Imelia as her Buster Dagger came for the original, and the Orb mass produced model. She was to fight both of them, but her main target was the Buster. "This is for my students!" she called, as she combined into the anti armor shot gun, and fired on the Buster.

"Argh!" Dearka called out, as he was hit hard by the mobile suit's weapon. "Damn, what is up with this pilot?" he asked, as he fired both of his weapons, and a barrage of missiles. The Buster Dagger though, moved out of the path of the weapons, and fired her own at him.

Ahmed got in the path, and blocked the attacks with his machine's shields, and returned fire with a beam rifle. "Not today!" he called.

Cagalli dodged an attack from a GuAIZ and activated one of her lightwave shield generators on her machines arm, and used the beam type weapon to severe the machine right in half. "Wow, I'm going have to pay Mina back somehow." she admitted as she fired both of her rifles at other enemies. Just then, Mina severed a GINN that was behind Cagalli with her with her, "Totsuka-no-Tsurugi" saber.

"Cagalli, watch your back!" Mina told her.

"I don't need you to lecture me Mina." Cagalli told her, as she fired both of her rifles destroying two Strike Daggers that were coming at them.

"Alright,then how about, we show them how well the Sahaku's and Athha's can work together." she told her, as Cagalli smiled behind her visor.

"Right." she commented, and with that, the two leading nobles of their familys opened fire at the enemy.

"Those two have gotten more tolerable of each other." Mu commented, as he destroyed four daggers, with his Gunbarrels. He then had one of his feelings, and saw the Gunbarrel Dagger heading towards him. "Not him again." Mu said a bit annoyed.

"Lets continue our battle, Hawk of Endymion!" Morgan called, as he drew a beam saber, and opened fire with his four Gunbarrels.

"So be it." Mu called, as he drew his own, and dodged the beams coming from Morgan, as he fired his own set of beams at Morgan. One beam hit the 105, but nothing even happened. "What?" Mu aksed.

"Hmhmhm. Beams are useless, for a short time." Morgan told him. "Like you have Phase Shift armor, I use Laminated." Morgan told him, as the beam sabers connected. The two machines began a deadly dance with their beam sabers.

"Damn, this could be bad." Mu told himself as he used the controls. But the thing he did not know, is that Morgan has more experience, and Morgan once piloted a piece of junk Strike Dagger with success. And now, the two piloted nearly equal machines. "Yeah, I say this is bad." Mu added in, as the beam sabers interlocked with each other.

Athrun on the otherhand, dodged an attack from the Calamity.

* * *

Not far, from them was the Archai, which fired its Gottfrieds through the starboard side of a Nazca. "Fire Helldarts!" Glaeser yelled, as the Archai fired said weapons, as they destroyed various GINNs.

"Sir, Mobile suit detected, incoming one of the mobile suits Azrael wanted captured before!" he called.

"Lower bow angle by forty degrees, fire Valiants!" he called out, as the ship did just that, and fired. Athrun barely dodged the attack, but a M1 Astray was not so lucky. "Our target is Jachin, no matter what Azrael wants!" Glaeser called, as the Archai was heading for the said location, and being an Archangel class ship, it has a high chance of doing so. "Fire Anti Beam deph charges!" he ordered, as the ship used its defensive weapons. "Don't use the beam weapons, use our Valiants and missiles, until we are in range!" he called.

* * *

Sutherland saw the Archai break off from the main fleet. "_Director Azrael. The Archai has broken off from the main group!" _he called the Dominion.

"Forget about him." Azrael told him. "He knows what he is up to, I want our main force though, to attack the PLANTs." he told his fellow Blue Cosmos member.

"Right." Sutherland admitted, as the Dynameis began to charge its primary weapon. "Fire the Lohengrin!" he called out, as with that, the twin columns of antimatter streaked across space, eliminateing various of ZAFT machines, that were caught in the beams path.

Wiel was more in command of the mobile forces on the Dominion. "Mobile suit forces, beware of the rogue ships, they have arrived on the battlefield, and have elimnated many of Nuclear missiles." he ordered.

"You sure have learned about this faster then your father did, Mr. Halberton." Azrael told the young captain.

"Shut up." was all Wiel told his director. "Just shut up, and let me keep us alive." he told him. "Load Missle tubes with Wombat's and Fire!" he ordered, as the weapons were launched from the main ship.

* * *

Samorei saw this, as he combined both his sabers, and went for some of the Daggers, with his newly formed beam staff, which was the favoured weapon of the Justice, Sam used it with deadly precision. "I wonder." Sam began, as he grabbed a Dagger and absorbed its energy. "Where is mother?" he wondered, as the Nosferatu raised a rifle, and destroyed another dagger.

"So there you are!" came Banken's voice, as Sam turned, and dodged the beams from the wireless weapons.

"Banken." Sam silently said his name. "You are getting very annoying." With that, his mobile suit, went right for the voyager, and the sabers clashed.

"You really think you can beat the Second voyage!" Banken yelled, as the two mobile suits, clashed again and again. "This is really pathetic!" he called, as his machine began to overpower the Nosferatu.

"Its not over yet!" Sam told him, as his Igelstelungs opened fire on the optical sensors of the Voyager.

"What?" Banken asked, as he was seeing the damage the attack was doing. "Damn you." Banken told him.

That was when Sam noticed something else, as Wing came in, kicking the Nosferatu in the face, stopping the onslaught of interecepting slugs.

"Captain!" Flay called on the Izumo. "Nosferatu is now fighting both the Wing and Voyager!" she informed her.

"Ensign Andras, can you support Samorei?" Natarle called out.

"I guess." Shani told her, as the Forbidden went for his new target. "HERE I COME!" Shani called out.

"Oh no you don't traitor!" Clotho called, as his spherical breaker came towards the Forbidden. Shani dodged the attack.

"Shut up you idiot!" Shani called as he fired his Plasma Cannon, and with that, the Raider dodged the attack.

"Bastard." was all Clotho could say, as he dodged the bending beams of Plasma.

"Hahaha, dance little birdy!" Shani called, as he continued to fire. "Hahahaha!" he called, as he swung his massive scythe only to be dodged by the Raider. "Get back here, you coward!" he called chasing the Raider once again.

"Hmhmhm, it just seems your allies can't help you." Banken taunted Samorei as his weapons deflected Sam's beam cannons.

"That's enough!" came the voice of Mina, as the Gold Frame came in with an arcing arch of her saber. Banken blocked it, with both of his machines forearms, only glad the weapons were not beams.

"So, this is her." he mused, as he activated both of his sabers. "Die!" he called, as both of his arms slashed at her, severing the arm that held the saber.

Sam then went into his other state, as the veins around his eyes bulged. "No you don't!" he called, as one of his sabers severed an arm of the Voyagers. However, Banken and everyone were not prepared, for what was coming.

* * *

Jachin Due:

"We are lucky the Eternal and its allies arrived." Ezalia told herself. "I just don't like it, that they continue to use my sons machines." she told Patrick as he nodded.

"I agree, however, I've had enough of this." he told her, as she looked at him.

"Are you really going to use that now?" she asked him, as he just nodded. She then agreed.

"Drop Mirage Colloid, order our forces, to get out of the line of fire!" he ordered the members of the room, as the preperations began.

* * *

Shiho got the order herself. "A tactical retreat, GENESIS is going to cover us?" she asked herself. "Yzak, get your people out of here, they are going to fire GENESIS!" she called to him.

"GENESIS!?" he asked himself. "Kira, Athrun, Everyone get out of the way, they are going to fire GENESIS!" he called to his comrades. That was when they saw it, a massive satellite phased into existance.

"What the. . ." Sam began.

"Hell?" Mina finished for him.

* * *

Archangel:

Sai looked over to Murrue. "Captain, massive gamma radiation is being built up within that thing!" he called.

"All ships, fall back!" she ordered. As the mirrors moved into position, and gamma Rays began to fire towards the focuser of the massive weapon. The beams reflected back to the mirrors as the beams began to spread, and then the Gamma radiation fired towards the majority of the Earth Forces fleet.

Rosa fell from her bed in the Archai screaming, as she heard the screams of thousands of Earth Forces soldiers being engulfed in the Gamma radiation, and with that, the large beam reached across space, destroying everything, and everyone in its path. The four ship alliance all watched the weapon, with horrified eyes of the weapon's power, which put Nuclear weapons into a pale shadow. . .

"No. . ." Sam said.

"Father, you actually went through with that?" Athrun asked himself, as the Justice saw the carnage that was left behind. Several ships, were torn to pieces, mobile suits, and armors as well. Over half of the Earth Forces, were whiped out, with a single shot, a feat that was thought impossible.

Wiel looked at the Carnage. "Everyone, retreat, Retreat!" Wiel called them.

"That is impossible." Azrael said eyes full of horror, as the Earth Forces ships sent out return signals. The four ship alliance did the same thing as their machines began to retreat.

Samorei and Banken, with the AMATU and the Wing stared at the blast, they completely forgot about each other, as they got the signal from Yzak. "Mina, are you alright?" Sam asked the AMATU's pilot.

"Yeah." she told him.

"White Devil, we'll continue this later." Banken told his rival, as they went back to their ship, which was one of the lucky ones. Daggers of all kinds, were retreating, along with the Earth Forces other mobile weapons.

Shani went back for the Izumo. "Those are some lights, I don't like." Shani memoed to himself, as he gave up pursuit of the Raider. With that, his device adminstered another injection of the drug into his system.

"_All mobile suits, we are retreating for now._" the commanders of the four ship alliance called, as the mobile suits, began to return to their ships.

But they did not expect what was next, like they did not expect such a weapon, the ZAFT forces, began to go after the retreating daggers. "Now, we got you!" a pilot called out, as the mobile suits began to attack.

Kira saw this, and was disgusted in such an act, and without thinking, he activated his METEOR system, and went to stop it. "Don't attack those who are not fighting back!" he called out, as his machine got ready to intercept the attacking forces.

Athrun turned to him. "Kira wait!" he tried to call his friend back, but decided it was usless to try, and went to join him, arming his own weapons. The two machines fired their weapons, and both were going for disabling attacks, Allenby looked on in amazement of the two pilots, as did Sam. The weapons were tearing apart limbs, and heads of the mobile suits, to stop the onslaught.

A short bit of this, Sam keyed his radio. "Kira, we have to retreat, before ZAFT starts attacking us." he told them, as Kira and Athrun nodded, with their machines returning to the ships.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, The four ship alliance, safely out of range the other sides, were having a meeting. Each of them were surprised about the weapon used to rout the Earth Forces. The Lead mobile suit pilots, had gathered on the bridge of the Eternal, along with the captains of the four ships. However, Erica Simmons was with them, through radio and visual contact. "_That weapon appears to fire a coherent stream of Gamma Radiation." _She explained to everyone. "_Think of it as a Gamma ray laser, Its power as you saw, surpasses, every weapon we or even the Earth Forces have. It makes the Cyclops system seem like a small candle"_ she told them, which made the Archangel members, grimace at the thought.

"Just how are we even able to stop that?" Mina asked them. "I'm starting to worry about everything, because of this thing." she told them.

"We think the Izumo's and Archangel may be able to do something to it." Andy told her. "But this is only a thought, a weapon like that, we have no idea what we can do to it." he told them.

"If we can find a way in, we can destroy the source of the Gamma Rays." Athrun told them.

"You mean, starting a chain reaction inside the thing?" Mu asked, as Athrun nodded. "It makes sense, the problem is getting close, let alone, into the thing." he told them.

"I agree with Mu on that, but if we do get in, how do we set the Nukes off, without turning into space dust ourselves?" Samorei asked them.

Natarle put a hand up to her chin. "One of our Mobile suits, can, but if they don't have an ally, . . ." she trailed off.

"Why don't we go for the source?" Allenby asked. "That thing, is likley controlled from within Jachin, either that, or Aprilius One." she told them.

Cagalli nodded. "I agree with Allenby, but we need someone to go in their, but we still have several mobile suits to deal with, as Patrick would likley have both heavily guarded." she told them, as everyone nodded in agreement.

"_We do have time on our side." _Erica told them. "_They seem they can't fire consecutive shots; from what we can tell, the very mirror used to reflect the initial blast, was destroyed in the beam that we saw._" Erica explained to them. "_So it's replaced after every shot. So that gives us a window of opportunity to Destroy it." _she finished.

"How long is this window?" Andy asked her.

All Erica did though was shrug. "_Depends on when they begin the replacement. Since this is their first time using it, I'd guess the crew is inexperienced in it, I'd say, we have twenty four or less hours."_ she answered him.

"This is still bad." Sam admitted.

Waltfeld nodded. Lacus then spoke. "Both weapons are to dangerous, but with GENESIS, we have to make sure it is destroyed." she told them.

"I agree with Lacus." Kira told them.

"It'll all depend on how we do this, the war is no in our hands." Samorei told them. "What is the opposition now?" he asked Waltfeld.

"About fourty to fifty percent of the Earth Forces, were whiped out, in the last shot, along with most of their mobile suit forces. However, Dominion, Archai, and Dynameis all survived the attack, and pulled back. Along with most of their mobile suit forces." he answered him.

"I see, also, Banken and his group survived as well." Sam told them.

"So you did run into him." Mu guessed, as Sam just nodded. "How much of our forces are left?" he asked.

"We still have the majority, three M1's were destroyed in the last fight." Mina answered him.

"Alright, I suggest we all get some rest." Murrue suggested. "Even for just a few hours, we need all the edge we can get." she told everyone, as they all nodded.

"Then we return to our ships." Natarle announced. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'll be sleeping in the Freedom." Kira announced, as he went for the elevator. "We may not have enough warning for when the attack begins again." he explained his reason.

"I'm with Kira on that." Athrun told him. Everyone in bulk went for the elevator, as the pilots all agreed with Kira and Athrun.

* * *

Samorei walked alongside Mina, as they went for the shuttle that would take them back to the Izumo. "Will this really be the final battle?" Mina asked him, as Sam had no idea, and expressed it, with a shrug.

"I have no idea. I just have a bad feeling about this. You are full aware, there is a chance that neither of us can come out alive right?" he asked her.

"Yeah I know." she answered him. That was when she felt his hand grab a hold of hers. "Sam?" she asked him, as she could see that he was not even looking at her, his face was looking down on the floor.

"I wont fail." he told her, he then let her hand go, and began to walk down the hall.

"What was that about?" Cagalli asked her, as Mina turned to see Mina.

"I don't know, I think this battle is bringing back old memories of his." she told Cagalli, who did not say anything after that. From what she heard of the young man, is that he blamed himself for everything.

"Go after him." Cagalli told her. Mina looked at Cagalli with somewhat a questionable look. "Mina, . . . I can't believe I'm saying his, but he needs you." she told her.

Mina smiled a bit, from what Cagalli just said. "Cagalli, thanks." Mina told her, as with that, she went after Samorei.

"Hey I said I owed you one." Cagalli whispered, as she went for her own shuttle. She wanted to speak to Ahmed before this all went down.

* * *

Archangel Cafeteria:

Tolle, Miriallia, Sai, Kuzzey, Flay, Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, the Astray Trio, Saxten, and Azure all took a drink. Shani was also among them, still an outcast, however Flay had convinced him, to join in with the others. Savir was also their, as he was with Asagi. Everyone knew one thing, that this could be the end, to one, two or even everyone. It was to be the largest battle of the war, with the most dangerous weapons of the war. Things were to be expected, and some people were grim, while others, were trying to make the most of their last day on Earth. Shani drank from his glass, they all could see the druggie, as Shani has come to be known as. They were right, though, as the item created by Samorei and Ayya, It can inject the man with one of two drugs, one is the actual drug, and the other is the antibiotic of the first one. "Come on Shani!" Flay told him, as she came over to him with her own glass. "You should take life to the fullest." she told him.

"Life ended for me long ago." he told her, as she shook her head.

"Hell no, Shani, you are among us, your life has meaning, and now, you should express it." she told him, as he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." he told her.

"Fine, whatever yourself." she told him, walking back to join the others.

"Express my life? I should have died long ago." he told himself, and with that, he left the room, to head back to the Izumo.

Yzak, Dearka, and Nicol were in their own little posse. "Can you all believe it?" Nicol asked. "That they actually used a weapon like that?" Nicol asked them.

"Some of the Naturals deserved it though." Yzak told him.

"Easy Yzak, not all of. . ." Dearka began.

"I know." Yzak told him, shooting a glance at the buster pilot. "That is why I said some." he told him. "But we still have to destroy it, and Sam is focused on finding mom." Yzak told them.

"Its going to be tough." Nicol told him. "We have no idea where she is, and it's going to be a large battle." he admitted.

"That is an understatement. Now even though we only attacked the Earth Forces last time, or tried for them only, they now have GENESIS, and that will be protected from anyone and everything, and its Jachin Due we are talking about." Yzak told them, which earned some nods of agreement.

* * *

Kusanagi:

Ahmed waited at the shuttle, as Cagalli, and Kisaka disembarked the shuttle. "Welcome back." he told them, as he then looked at Cagalli.

"Hey Ahmed." she said. "Mind if I speak with you?" she asked.

Ahmed looked at her but followed, to the observation window over the hangar. "What is it Cagalli?" he asked and with that, she wrapped her arms around him. "Ahmed, I'm going to be fighting out there." she told him, as Ahmed placed his hands on her back. "I don't want you, Kira, Athrun, or anyone to die." she told him.

Ahmed smiled hearing this from her. "Cagalli, I'm glad I have met you." he told her with a smile, as she looked at him, with her glazed eyes. "No matter what Cagalli, I'll protect you." he whispered, as she nodded to him, and layed her lips upon his.

Not far from them, Kisaka smiled, and went towards the bridge. "Ahmed, you are her true body guard now." he whispered heading towards his destination.

Eternal Hangar:

Allenby floated over to Kira. "Kira." she began.

"Alley, what's up?" he asked her, as she smiled.

"Kira, I wanted to say good-bye, just incase. . ." she told him.

"Shh." he told her, caressing his hand against her face. "Allenby, thank you, for everything, even though we first met under the wrong circumstances." he told her, Allenby smiled at that, as when they did first meet, they litterally tried to kill each other, with that, she remembered the Strike dodgeing the inhanced beams from the glass in the Desert Sand.

"Well those days, you proved you were better then I am." she told him, as he shook his head.

"I'm just like you Allenby, I just had more luck on my side." he told her, and with that, she smiled and kissed him.

"We will return to each other." she told him, hugging him, one more time, before the final battle.

The day passed slowly, but surely for everyone. They were all on edge, some couldn't sleep, some had nightmares, and some people had the best nights of their lives.

* * *

Jachin Due:

"Chairman, it seems the Earth Forces are still in the area." a female sensor officer told him.

"We have pirated their signal, they are waiting for reinforcements from the moon." the officer told them.

"Well then, set the next target for Ptolemaeus Crater." he ordered, with that, his loyalists, began the targeting procedure for the Earth Alliance base. "We will usher in the new world, the world of coordinators." Patrick told them. He then turned to Rau, who was standing behind his chair. "To make up for your failure in stopping the Eternal." he told the commander. "I want you to keep every enemy out there away from Jachin and GENESIS." he ordered the man in the mask.

"Does this include in killing Athrun?" Rau asked the chairman.

"Protect it, by any means necessary , and I mean any." Zala told him.

Rau just smiled, as he bowed. "Yes of course." he told him, and with that, he turned, to head into the final battle of the war.

* * *

A/N:

Pt 1 is done. The Final Battle is about to begin, everything of this little story will come to an end, or will it? Next time, on The Stone of Jade: The End Game pt2 next.


	39. Chapter 39: The End Game pt2

Chapter 39: The End Game pt2

* * *

_Samorei found himself in the old Laboratory final testing yards, he stood in the middle of bloodied bodies of children. "Sam. . ." a voice called out, as he knew it, and turned to see Rin, as she was alive, but she was wearing a blue dress, one that one would see on a eight year old girl._

"_R. . . Rin." Sam said, as he looked at her, he was his actual age of nineteen, while Rin was still eight years of age. _

"_You sure have grown Sam. . . I almost did not know it was you." she told him. "How are the others?" she asked, as Sam shrugged. "Oh I see. Haven't been keepin touch?" she asked him._

"_You could say that." he admitted._

"_Yeah, he hasn't seen us for years, for all he knows, this is what we looked like." Marik called, as he walked into the opening. "Don't die out there Sam." he called._

"_Yeah, you represent us." Shana told them, as she looked at the three. She looked the same as Marik did, and with that, Joshua appeared._

"_Remember Joule, we were once comrades, today we are again, to fight a common foe."_ _He told them, as Sam nodded._

"_Thanks guys, I'll remember you are with me, and this time, we will defeat our foes, and save those we cared for, and for those who we remember." Sam told them as he looked at Rin, and she just smiled at him. _

"_Thank you." __Rin told him, as they vanished._

* * *

Samorei awakened as he was sitting in the cockpit of his mobile suit. On him, Mina in her own flight suit, slept Sam smiled as he looked up. "Thanks guys." he whispered as he layed back, and the Nosferatu's three eyes glowed white, and then dimmed to being black again. 

That was when the four ships alliance's alarms went off,waking Mina instantly. "This is Mina Sahaku to bridge, what's going on?" she asked the bridge.

"_Lady Sahaku, it seems the Earth Forces are on the move, they seem to be determined to get the job done before their reinforcements even arrive" _Natarle informed them.

"Can't say I'm surprised." Samorei confirmed as he accustomed himself, and opened the hatch. "Alright, get everyone to battle positions." he told her, as Natarle just nodded. With that the Izumo went into battle alert.

"_Aye Sir, any other orders?" _She asked, as Mina left the Nosferatu and the cockpit closed once again. "Yeah, stay with the Kusanagi. This battle is going be large, and you two will have the best chance of even damaging that thing." he admitted, as the other pilots of the ship began to move into their mobile suits. All four of the ship's pilots, were boarding their machines, and crews were rushing to battlestations in preparation for what they all knew would be the final battle, die or stay alive, it will all end here.

* * *

Archangel Hangar: 

"So this is the end game." Mu mused as he strapped himself into the Strikes pilot's seat. the mobile suit powered up as it moved to the Starboard Catapult, as the Striker Pack known as the Gunbarrel pack began to get ready to attach to the mobile suit. However, something caught is eye, on the monitor he could see Murrue waving at him. He took off his helmet, and opened the cockpit.

"I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time," she said with little breath when he emerged.

Mu grinned. "In time for what?" he asked her. He placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I'll be just fine you know." he told her.

"I know but. . ." she said looking away. "Ifit were to happen to me again, I. . ." she began.

He frowned, as he then caught site of the locket she has worn ever since he even knew her. He grabbed it with his gloved hand, and just nodded in understanding. "So, he was a mobile armor pilot?" he asked.

Murrue nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "It was. . . the first battle of Jachin Due. He was a rookie; good. . . But not quite good enough." she told him.

"Don't worry." Mu told her, in a different tone. "I'll be coming right back. . . with victory in hand." and with that, to emphasize his reason of coming back, he kissed her.

Launch reports began to ring through as the mobile suit forces, in full bulk from the four ships. On the Archangel, the Strike was equipped with the Gunbarrel pack. "Mu La Flaga, Strike, heading out!" Mu called.

"_Go ahead strike_." Mir replied, as the mobile suit launched into space.

"Dearka Elsman, Buster Taking off," He called, as he saluted.

"_Go ahead buster"_ Mir called.

With that, next the Duel set down, with Yzak gripping his mobile suits controls. "This is Yzak Joule, and I'm not letting the Earth Forces even touch my home." he called out.

"_Alright Yzak, your clear for launch."_ Mir told him, as the Duel went out. After that, the Archangel launched its M1 compliment that it still had.

* * *

On the Izumo, Sam got ready as he looked at the monitor. "Mina, remember to be careful out there." he told her, as Mina nodded. 

"I know, I can take care of myself." she told him.

"Alright." Sam confirmed, as he lowered his head, and the eyes of his machine glowed a ghostly white. "Samorei Joule, Nosferatu, lets show them our own power!" he called, as the mobile suit took off. The Forbidden was next.

"Hmhmhm, battle again." he said with a smile, as the drug was administered into his blood stream.

"_Shani, please be careful out there._" Flay radioed.

"Don't be worried about me." Shani told her. "I'll be just fine." he told her, with that the mobile suit launched.

Mina was next as the gold frame got ready to launch. "Time for the final bout, in this battle, I will Redeem my familys name!" she called out, as the machine took off into space. Behind her, the pair of Sam's clones took off in the Sword Calamity and Raider Full Spec. Behind them, were the Izumo's compliment of M1, M1A's, and M1B's heading out, most of them were ordered to protect the ships.

* * *

The Kusanagi launched its share of M1's, while behind them, Ahmed got ready for battle. His Desert colored mobile suit took off into space, as he stayed waiting for the next one, as Cagalli got ready. The Mobile suit however got a different equipment pack. The Mobile suit was equipped with the heavy Integrated Weapons Systems Pack, which was to combine the prowess of the Launcher, Sword, and Aile Striker Packs, and with what it already was, the other striker pack was not able to be place onto the mobile suit. "This is Cagalli Yula Athha, Strike Rouge, taking off!" she called as her machine took off.

* * *

The Eternal then began to launch its own machines. The Justice got ready for its launch. "This is Athrun Zala." he reported. "Justice, launching!" he called as the single mobile suit took off. 

Behind it, was its brother, and in the cockpit the best friend of the red machines pilot. "Kira Yamato, Freedom, Let's do it!" he shouted as the mobile suit took off.

Then the youngest of the three machines, and pilot, the Salvation got into position. "Allenby Hahenfuss, Salvation, taking off!" she called out, as the three mobile suits waited for Lacus Clynes next orderes.

"_Deploy METEOR Units,"_ Lacus ordered. "_This is the final battle, we cannot afford to fail anyone!"_ She told everyone,as the pilots of every unit of the four ship alliance nodded. Kira, Allenby, and Athrun had their machines connect to the METEOR units as their mobile suits registered the connections.

* * *

On the Archangel's bridge, the battleplan had begun. "Captain Waltfeld," she began. "Have the Eternal, and Kusanagi go for GENESIS, the Izumo and the Archangel will take the Earth Forces." she ordered. 

"_Got it_," Waltfeld agreed.

"_Understood_." Kisaka replied, and with that, the M1's began to change and spread out to protect the ships.

Natarle nodded. "_Right, we are forming up on your port side_." she told her former captain, as the two ships. The ships named after their classes got ready for combat. As like the previous battle, the Peacemaker force were launched from the Earth Alliance's machines, along with its mobile suit compliment.

* * *

Banken and Heero were among them, as Banken deployed his wireless weapons and opened fire on several GuAIZ's, as he passed their exploding forms. "Alright, today is when it all comes true." and with that Banken's beam saber emerged and he slashed shoulder to hip of a CGUE, and he turned and fired destroying a GuAIZ. "However, my only targets are Samorei, and Kira." he mused as he verted to Mobile armor form, and went towards the four ship alliance. 

Heero did the same, but with a different purpose in mind. Mu felt a familiar pressence, but it was the one more familiar to him, and with that he angled the strike and went for its origin.

Unknown to him, Rau Le Creuset fired his beam rifle destroying a Long Dagger, and a Strike Dagger with a single shot. His Machine was the broad, and the X13A model of the ZGMF units, the larger and more powerful of the machines, the Providence. He brought the bottom of his shield up, which was a pair of small beam guns and fired at a pair of daggers, and with ease were blown into nothing by the mobile suit. "Today is the end. Everything will end. . . and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Nothing!" he called, as he smiled to see the next alignment mirror of GENESIS was set in place, for the superweapons second shot. "Only a matter of time, until the Earth Forces Space Headquarters is destroyed." he mused. "And Zala will finally go, with the Earth, and the true plans will be complete."

By now, all the mobile suits were out in combat, as at one instance the Jade Frame along side the Gold cut down mobile suits to pieces, and then they vanished under Mirage Colloid.

* * *

On the Dominions bridge, Azrael wondered. "Any sign of the Archangel, or its other friends?" he wondered. Last time they fought, he was betrayed by the Sahakus. 

Wiel shook his head. "No, but we should go after that weapon Directer." he told his superior.

Azrael shook his head. "The Archangel is in line with these ZAFT forces, and are protecting that weapon, if we can take them out, we'll easily take out that giant Mirror." he told his underlines. "Send Calamity and Raider to find it, the Archai and Dynameis will be able to handle protecting our little force." he said waving his hand.

* * *

Jachin Due Control room 

One of the officers looked up to the Chairman. "Sir, the Alignment mirror is in place, it is ready to fire on your command!" the soldier called up.

"Perfect." Zala said, eager to fire his weapon again. "Target the Lunar Surface, Ptolemeaus Crater. Its time for those damn Naturals" he called up.

"Station has completed its orientations, target is Ptolemeaues Crater!" the soldier called out.

"Alright, and now FIRE!" he ordered.

* * *

Izumo: 

"Captain, massive Radiation has been detected in GENESIS!" the fire control officer called out.

With that, Flay needed no orders. "Sam, Everyone, that weapon is firing again!" she called out across space.

"Ensign Koeing Lower nose by seventy Degrees!" Natarle ordered, as with that, Tolle shoved the wheel into its postion to have the ship go into a nose dive. The Archangel mirrored this, as the superweapon began to open fire. With that, the ship moved down. The Superweapon fired, completely overshadowing the ships, and its mobile suit protecters, however the beam stretched across space, with more power then any weapon anyone has seen, and it struck the surface of the moon, and the reinforcements from the Moon, obliderating them and their Nuclear weapons within. The place, had nothing left.

The Freedom, Justice, and Salvation opened fire destroying several Nukes. "Hey Hey Hey!" Orga yelled as he fired his weapons like crazy among his enemies. Allenby dodged, as she went after the Calamity. "I have had enough of you!" she called, as her METEOR unit emitted a large beam of energy. She charged, as the mobile suit went above, and as even with the speed of the unit, it was a large target, and Orga fired his Scylla right on through it.

* * *

"Damn." Allenby called as she detached before the weapons platform was completely destroyed. She turned with ease and fired her beam rifle through the cockpit of a Duel Dagger, the Natural Variant of the Long Dagger. 

"This lesson is over!" came Rena Imelia's voice, as her Buster Dagger fired a pair of blasts. But before either or could hit the Salvation, the Freedom still with its Meteor unit equipped, took the hit to the Freedoms shield. He then fired with his railguns, and Plasma cannons, The Cannons hit both of the shoulders, and the railguns took out the gunlauncher, and beam rifle of the Buster Dagger. "All weapons systems down, what, who was that guy?" she asked, as the Freedom and Salvation went off to fight other opponents. Rena hit her distress Beacon, so she could be saved later.

* * *

Mu fired a pair of beams through an enemy mobile suit and the gunbarrels returned to their mount. Rau saw this however. "Ah, there you are, Mu! I wondered when you were going to get here. Shall we battle one last time?" he asked. 

Mu took noticed. "A new model?" he asked, as he went after it, locking onto Raus Frequencie. "Is this what you were hoping for, you Jackal?" he demanded. His Beam rifle and the four Gunbarrels opened fire, while staying on their mounts. "Is GENESIS what you had in mind all along?"

"You shouldn't blame me!" Rau called out, as he deployed the Providence's trump card. Eleven small units detatched from the backpack, and hips of the Providence. They were ZAFTs newest piece of tech, and were what gave Banken's machines wireless weapons, the Disconnected Rapid Armament Group Overlook Operation Network. "This is Mankind's dream!" he called out, as his multiple weapons opened fire on the Strike from several different locations. "Mankinds Desire! Mankinds Destiny! To be the strongest, to go the Farthest, to climb the highest!" he called out.

"All of this is a result from your twisted logic!" Mu snarled, as he moved the Strike out of the path of the oncoming beams, something he did not think he would be on the receiving end. "I won't let you make things worse!" he called out.

"But you are to late Mu." the masked man replied. With that, he added the beam fire from the twin guns in his shield and the beam rifle. "You see, I'm the product of all this; that's how I know, I know that Humanity will become extinct, swallowed by the darkness it's created."

Mu fired his own beams, and the two danced a deadly dance of beams, from more then one location almost like several soldiers were using the both of them as target practice.

* * *

The Kusanagi's M1 girls dodged an attack from a GuAIZ and fired on it in return. "Asagi look out!" Mayura called, however the Sword Calamity appeared out of nowhere to block the attack, and boosted right for the attacker. 

"How dare you!" Savir called out as he drew one of his anti ship swords. The sixteen meter blade slashed right on through the ZAFT machine. However, he barely dodged the attack of oncoming Strike Dagger.

"No more!" Saxten called out, as his Raider Full Spec unleashed a barrage of missiles at the Dagger, as it was engulfed within a ball of fire.

"Thanks bro." Savir told him, as he threw his beam boomerang through an oncoming beam rifle equipped GINNs. "Girls, get back to the ships!" he ordered, as the M1 girls obliged.

* * *

Mina appeared beside Cagalli, as the two Orb Nobles were cleaning house. Cagalli was equipped with one of her anti ship swords, and was using what its name implied, and cut the bridge off of a Nelson class ship. She then fired a pair of multiphase energy from the twin cannons located on her machines shoulders through the hull of another. Behind her, Mina slashed a Mobile armor in half, and the fired her beam rifle through the hull of a Drake Class ship. She then turned to see three M1's being chased by an oncoming Long Dagger from one side, and three GuAIZ's on the other. 

"What, NO!!" one of the M1 Pilots called, as his Machine was impaled by a beam claw. However the GuAIZ did not last long, as the Long Dagger fired on through both Machines destroying both.

"Damn you!" another pilot called as he fired a pair of beams, but was impaled by the other GuAIZ and that machine fired on the Long Dagger destroying it.

The last GuAIZ fired, ending the last M1's pilot's life. Cagalli saw this, and like a Lioness, you mess with her pride, prepare to die, as a amber seed in her eye shattered. The Strike Rouge rushed the remaining two GuAIZ's. She slashed one with her anti ship sword, and turned and opened fire on the other one, with her shields gattling guns. The multiple slugs shredded the mobile suit and its insides. However, a GuAIZ took aim at Cagalli, and its shot was clear, as the pilot began to pull the trigger.

But the barrel was severed from the rifle. "What the. . ." the pilot began, but that was when his cockpit was hit, and the Nosferatu materialized, with its right arm attached to the cockpit of the mobile suit, as the energy began to sifer into the Nosferatu, and the two cannons snapped into position. Two columns fired, one went through a Nelson, and another was a Battalion of Nuclear warhead carrying mobius units. Behind him, Mina severed the mobile suit in half with her Trikero's sharpened edge the same edge that destroyed Lowe's original Gerbera.

"Sam, we have found out where Ezalia is, she is in Jachin Due!" Mina called over, as Sam nodded, he and his machine was in the other state, as Sam was now calling it.

"Thanks Mina." and with that, Sam let go of the GuAIZ and thrusted to cover the Kusanagi and Eternal. The two nobles continued to fight, as for Sam, he connected both of his sabers in his draining claw, as used his beam rifle to attack. He used the sabers only when a enemy got to close.

* * *

Dearka on the otherhand connected his weapons into the anti armor shotgun and fired destroying several daggers infront of him. He then fired a salvo of missiles at incoming enemies. 

Not far, the Calamity, and its pilot continued to fire their weapons multiple and multiple times. His target, he was trying to hit the ever dodgeing Salvation Gundam. Salvation may had good ranged weapons, however it was more designed to be face to face, and the Calamity was keeping her at bay. "Damn." Was all ALlenby could say as she dodged a pair of Schlag beams, and a Scylla. "Just die already!" she called firing off her beam rifle again.

"Hahahaha, not a chance!" Orga called back as he continued to fire on the Nuclear machine. One slip up on Allenby's part, it was game over for her. Kira was to busy to help her, so she was alone now, and against a relentless opponent. She then turned to dodge another attack, however, now she could no longer see her opponent. "Hey where'd he go?" she asked.

"Hey Hey Hey, did you miss me?" Orga called out, as the Calamity was now right behind her.

"What?" she questioned, as she could not move out of the way, of the charge of energy that charged in the Scylla's beam cannon. "No. . ." was all she could say.

"Good AHHHH!" Orga yelled, as a beam of energy came from below him and went up, scorching right on through the frame of the machine, and the cockpit. The Machine was litterally cut in half by the beam. Allenby looked surprised, as she then looked down. She saw the Buster, with a Hyperimpulse sniper rifle formed.

"Ha, some successor to my machine." Dearka mused as he disconnected both of his weapons. "You alright Alley?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks Dearka." she called down, as she then dodged an attack from a Strike Dagger. "That's it!" she called out, as she branished her directly powered beam saber, and slashed it right through the torso of the coming dagger. "Kira, please be alright." she whispered.

* * *

Speaking of the freedom pilot, the mobile suit emitted its Beam sword from its METEOR unit, and the Machine charged right for a Nelson class ship. The giant beam seared through the ship right down the middle. However when he turned to fire, he was already face to face with the orange Sword Calamity. "What?" he began as he drew his beam sabers to block an incoming anti ship sword. 

"So this is the famed Freedom." Ed radioed. "My name is Edward Harelson, perhaps you heard of me, as Ed the Ripper." he commented.

"Disturbing name." Kira commented, as he blocked another incoming attack. 'Who is this guy, he's better then any of Shani's old goons." he pointed out, as he dodged another attack from a horizontal strike from the variation of the Calamity. He moved the Freedom out of a direct attack, and detached from his Meteor unit, for more Maneuverability.

"That is more like it." Ed commented, and with that, the Sword Calamity clashed its anti ship sword against Kira's sabers.

Kira blocked the attacks some more, but, he is unable to get out of the path of the attacks to used his ranged weapons, and unlike Kira, Ed specialized in hand to hand combat. "Just why are you fighting here, what do you fight for?" Kira asked the Calamity pilot.

Ed stopped instantly as soon as Kira answered that, however the two machines looked dangerously close, infact, the beam of the anti ship sword, was only a few feet away from the waist of the Freedom, with Ed thinking that was the location of the Freedoms cockpit. "What am I fighting for?" he questioned.

"Yeah." Kira began. "Why are you fighting in this war?" he asked again.

"I. . . I don't know, I guess its to protect my home." he told him.

"Then we fight for partially the same reason. I'm fighting to stop that weapon from firing on Earth, that is why I am doing this." Kira told him, as the Sword Calamity pilot thought of these things. "You should join us, the Earth Forces are nothing but corrupted people, look at this, the Atlantic Federation betrayed its own allies at Alaska, and now they want full Eradication of the coordinators, which they say are un natural." he began to explain. "But I have a pair of comrades, that the Earth Forces altered, at least coordinators had it done before they were born, the Earth Forces did it with children!" he called.

"Children, are they really like that kind of monster!" Ed asked, that was when the AMATU appeared from Mirage Colloid.

"Kira is right Ed. . . The Earth Forces have done hideous things to children, the person I love is one of them, and his friend is another. Do you think they deserve such loyalty as they do?" Mina asked him, as Ed just nodded.

"I'm with you." he told them, and to show what he meant, he turned instantly and fired his Scylla on a close by Nelson class ship. "Now, lets stop this weapon of ZAFTs." he told them.

The pair of coordinators nodded, as the AMATU flew off towards the battle, as Kira reattached to his METEOR unit.

* * *

However, unlike them, Mu was having a hard time, as his machine continued to dodge the continual beams from the Providence DRAGOON system. He had become annoyed of Rau's new weapons, and new how it felt to be on the receiving end of such a weapon. That was when, four beams seared through a gunbarrel, as it tried to fire. Another seared through the Strikes beam rifle. "You can't win Mu." he taunted the Hawk of Endymion. "After all, the child can never hope to outshine the parent!" 

"Don't you dare say you are my father!" Mu snarled. "You're just a jackal, a defective creation that shouldn't have been allowed to exist!" he called, bringing out a beam saber, along with his three remaining barrels went right for the source of the attacks. However, the DRAGOONs fired, searing through the remaining gunbarrels.

Le Creuset laughed at the attempt, as he ignited his own pillar of fire, from his composite shield. "There's nothing that can be done to stop the worlds destruction now Mu!" he called, heading right for the Strike. "I have seen to that! GENESIS Will eradicate everything!" he called out.

The sabers collided once, but with swift movement, the Providence place came back, and sliced through the Strikes right arm. Mu knew that he would not last much longer, and began a tactical retreat. "I'll get you next time Creuset." he told himself.

"There wont be a next time!" Creuset told him, as multitudes of beams fired across the Strike, severely damageing the Strike, and disabling all of its weapons besides the CIWs. The Left Leg, no longer existed, and the internal equipment began to malfunction, wounding Mu.

"Ugh." Mu moaned as he was hurt, and left alone by Creuset. "Archangel," he called. "Get . . . get ready, for me, I need a landing zone now!" he called.

"Mu." Murrue said a bit surprised as she heard him. "Clear the deck, get ready to retrieve the strike!" she called out.

* * *

Dominion: Wiel and Azrael began to argue about their targets. "I want that ship blown out of existance!" Azrael yelled. Wiel however, decided that he was not thinking straight. 

"No, Contact the Archangel, we need to combine our efforts, to destroy that weapon!" Wiel yelled, however, a gunshot was heard, as the crew turned to see the origin. Wiel had been shot, just under his right rib, and now he floated in the bridge. Azrael held a gun, as smoke rised from the nozzle.

"I am in control here Wiel, not you." Azrael told him. "Now, target the Archangel with the Lohengrins, I want it out of existance." he ordered, as the crew began.

"No!" Wiel called, even wounded by a bullet, he tackled Azrael. He pinned the Blue Cosmos leader, to his chair. "Get out of here now!" he called, as the Dominion fired on the Archangel, as the Archangel was hit, on its starboard side, as the beam ripped away a Gottfried, and the Valiant. "Its to late now for a truce with them." He whispered. "Go, I order it!" he yelled, as Azrael got a angry look, as he stared at Wiel. Azrael then pinned the nozzle to Wiels chest, and fired, causing the captain to float back, as the last of the bridge crew got out of there.

"No get back here!, We need to get rid of those traitors!" he yelled, as he went for the door, but it then closed. He hit the button, but nothing happened, for the door to open again. "What?" he asked.

Wiel smirked, as he moved into the right position. "I have sealed the bridge, neither one of us will be leaving this room." he told the Blue Cosmos commander. Azrael was still angered, as he raised his gun, and fired twice more at Wiel with both bullets hitting the captain, causing Wiel to collapse, he was heavily wounded, with four gunshot wounds throughout his Torso. He was breathing heavily, trying to keep his breath. "So, this is the end." he said with a smile.

"No not yet, traitor." Azrael told him, heading into the fire control officers station, and began to charge the Lohengrin. His target, was the Archangel's bridge, as he had the Gottfrieds fire, to keep the ship busy.

* * *

Archangel: 

The Port sides weapons were just destroyed, along with the port side Lohengrin. "Captain, we just lost our Lohengrin!" Jackie yelled, as they felt the vibrations.

"Is anyone able to help us?" Murrue asked Mir.

"No Captain, all of our machines are occupied!" she replied.

"Captain, their charging their Lohengrin!" Sai called, as they looked, to see the Dominions Starboard Lohengrin charge. "It has just opened fire, we can't get out of the way!" he called, as the Positron energy blast came closer and closer to the bridge of the archangel. Time seemed to slow down inside the Archangel, but then, the Strike got into the path of the Positron cannon. Its Anti beam shield, and itself in the path of the attack, using itself as a shield for the Archangel.

Mu felt large amounts of pain, as he struggled to keep the controls from moving the shield out of the path of the beam.

"Mu!" Murrue called standing up, as she saw her loves machine in the path of the attack.

Mu, struggled as he looked at the image on his monitor, and saw Murrue there with his tears. "Don't cry Murrue. I'll come back to you, remember, I can make the impossible, POSSIBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!" he yelled, as the Strike began to melt away from the blast of the cannon. Within moments, the Strike was gone, shattered in several pieces from the attack, with no one able to see it.

* * *

Dominion: 

Azrael smiled at it, however was shocked to see the Archangel was not destroyed. "Fine, I'll just use the. . ." he began, but all of a sudden, his head was smashed right into the controls, and the bleeding Wiel was standing, braceing himself with the commander of the CIC's chair, and the monitor, making sure the Blue Cosmos scum could not even move.

"You Bastard!" Wiel yelled, as Azrael was bleeding from above his right eye.

"You idiot, we can beat them, I do not lose!" He yelled, back at the ships captain.

"You do this time, you jackass!" Wiel told him. "You dare, try to do that to her, I'll kill you!" he said, as he turned, to see the Archangel. "However, I will allow the woman, I care for do that for me. He said, letting go of Azraels head, and keyed his radio. "Dominion to the Archangel." he called.

* * *

Archangel: 

"Are they asking us to surrender?" Sai asked.

"_This is the captain, please, I am sorry for what happened to the Strike Murrue, but please. . . Please, fire at this ship one last time._" Wiel called, as Murrue looked at him, tears in her eyes. "_Please, I can't hold this guy much longer, and he will fire the other Lohengrin, this is your chance!_" he called. "This is your last chance to rid the world of the leader of Blue Cosmos!" he yelled at her.

Murrue nodded. "Charge Lohengrin, target the bridge." she said silently.

"_No_" Azrael's voice called, as he used his strength to get Wiel off.

"_Murrue!" _Wiel called as he floated back.

"FIRE!" the two said in unision. With that the Archangel fired, as Azrael saw it in fear, ans Wiel just smiled.

"For the True Preservation of our world." Wiel whispered, as the Dominons bridge was engulfed in anti matter energy, with compartments throughout the ship was being destroyed, as the Dominion was no more because of it.

"Wiel." Murrue whispered, as she shed a tear, for both him, and Mu.

* * *

Out in the middle of space, Sam saw the destruction. "Mu." he whispred. "Raghhhhhh!" he yelled, as with that, the veins around his eyes bulged, as the Nosferatu's eyes glowed white. With it, his two cannons, his Elctromagnetic cannons snapped into position, along with his beam rifle shot up into position. Two beams of purple and white energy, along with three streams of green energy fired, destroying many within the path of the weapon. 

The Izumo fired at a group of missiles ment for it, as its CIWs shredded the missiles. Not far, Clotho, who has begun to go through withdrawl of the drug that he used. "Hahahaha, Game over for you!" he yelled, as the Raider was heading right for the Izumo.

* * *

Izumo: 

"Captain!" one of the members called,the electronic warfare to be exact. "Incoming Raider!" he called.

"Tolle hard to!" she called, as the ship shook from the impact. A Lohengrin, and a Gottfried was turned to scrap from the attack. The Raider turned around.

"Hahaha, Finish Him!" Clotho called out, as his machine began to charge its Zorn Beam cannon. The Beam fired, heading right for the bridge, and the crew could not move out of the way. However, in the same fashion as the Strike, however this time, it was the Forbidden, as with its shield system, bent the beam of energy away from the ship. "You. . ." Clotho began, as Shani's machine floated in between the ship, and the Raider. "Ha, your machine is uglier then you are now." he admitted.

Shani was calm and collected, even though he still had the drug within him. "Clotho you talk to much." Shani told him, as the Forbidden turned the scythe so the sharpened edge, was 'looking' at the Raider.

"Alright, that's it, I had enough of you!" Clotho yelled, as he went right for the Forbidden, and Izumo, and began to unleash a hail storm of bullets. Shani however stood his ground, as his mobile suit, began to take hit after hit after hit from the constant attacks.

"Damn!" Shani yelled, as his machine was being hit multiple times by fast moving slugs. Flay watched, as she had horror in her face, as she got on the com.

"_Shani please, get out of there!_" She called with concern, as Shani did not move, as he continued to get pelted by Clotho's attacks. "_SHANI!" _She yelled.

Shani then had enough. "Will you, just shut the hell up, and let me protect you!" and with that, his scythe had its phase shift generator activate, as the silver blade, changed into a blood red color. "Clotho, this is for ruining my life!" he called, as the two machines got closer, however Clotho saw it coming and reverted into his mobile suit form.

"Eradicate!" he called out, as the Raiders Zorn Beam cannon fired. The beam however bent away from the Forbidden and the Izumo, as the Scythe slammed into the torso however do to the phase shift, it was capable of moving the Trans Phase shift armor from the Raider, apart, as the scythe tore through the torso of the Raider. Clotho was no more, as the Raider was now in two halfs floating in space, as the two parts exploded.

Flay was surprised, startled, and relieved, along with ourtraged about what just transpired, however she was more relieved then anything else. "Shani, thanks." she whispered, without realizing he could still hear her.

"_Whatever._" he replied, as Flay noticed she was still pressing the button.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ahmed blasted a dagger away with his beam rifle. He went with something that used less energy then his Buster type equipment. He hovered beside Cagalli, who was no longer in her berserker state. "Cagalli, we got a clear path to Jachin, its either now or never." he called, as the Justice came beside them, detatching from his METEOR unit. 

"Right. Athrun, lets go." she called, as the Justice's pilot nodded.

"Right, lets go." he called. "Commander Waltfeld, cover us, were going into Jachin." he called the former ZAFT ace. Lacus and Waltfeld were surprised to hear this, however, Waltfeld nodded.

"Right, we'll do so, be careful." he told them.

With that, the M1B, Justice, and Strike Rouge made their way to Jachin. They opened fire on the enemy, with Cagalli using her weapon system to clear the way, as did Ahmed, with Athrun going in close to the enemy, as the other two took to the range.

"Scatter!" Athrun called, as they saw. Shiho in the CGUE DEEP Arms was in their path.

"I can't let you through." she told them.

"Shiho!" came Yzaks voice, as he appeared from under Mirage Colloid, infront of him, the Nosferatu did the same.

"Yzak!" she said surprised.

"Shiho, do you really want the world to end? Even with the PLANTs, they still need the Planet!" he called. "Please Shiho, let us pass, or else it will be to late!" he frantically called to her.

* * *

Jachin Due: 

"Sir, the Alignment Mirror is in place!" a soldier called out.

"Good, target Earth, Earth Alliance Headquarters, set the target as Washington DC!" he ordered.

Everyone, was not so willing for such a target. "Patrick, we shouldn't need to fire anymore." Ezalia told him. "This war is over, this battle is all thats left. When we stop the Earth Forces here, the battle is over!" she told him, as then saw on a screen, the Duel face to face with a CGUE DEEP Arms, and the Nosferatu behind it. "That's her unit, and she does not attack, so that means. . ." she began.

"Ezalia, you have been loyal to me, then why deny this now?" he told her. "Your sons are dead, and now, we can finally avenge their deaths, avenge Lenores Death! Avenge any death those Naturals have planned for us!" he told her.

* * *

Back outside, Shiho nodded. "Alright Yzak, but I'm going with you." she told him, as she turned to lead the way, with that, the five other machines followed her. Inside Sam's machine, he had five assault rifles, and grenades emerge from a hidden compartment behind him. However, for him, was something extra, and that was a pair of knives. The Doors opened, thanks to Shiho, and the machines went into the place. The mobile suits, went with their CIWs, to clear a landing area for them, as Shiho went with the controls to close the doors behind them. They were in.

* * *

However, outside, Allenby found someone; the Providence. "That machine?" she said questionably. She then charged for it. 

Rau looked around, as he noticed the machines go inside GENESIS. "So, they think they can win now. Far from it." he mused, as he then noticed an incoming opponent. It was the Salavation Gundam. "So, the Desert Wolf, is coming for me. This could be promiseing, if we were in Atmosphere." he smirked. "However here, she is nothing!" he called, as he turned to the machine. "Hello Allenby!" he called, as he let loose his multiple beam guns, from his DRAGOON system.

She saw this, and fired her weapons at him, only to be dodged. "Damn." she said. And before she knew, it, she became overwhelmed with the rapid movements of the weapon system the Providence used. The Salvation, began to be pummeled by the incoming fire. "Damn." she said, however, she was disabled, with her weapons destroyed, besides the two beam sabers, and her machines right arm.

"Allenby!" came the shouting Kira, as the Freedom approched the both of them. He passed Allenby's battered machine, and battered METEOR.

"Ahh Mr. Yamato. You should not even exist." Rau told him. "If people knew of your esixtance, they would want to be a coordinator, just like YOU!" Rau called to him, as one of his dragoons made the giant target of the Meteor unit's beam sword useless. Kira could hardly do anything, with the large platform on his backpack. He backed away from the web of beams, and emitted both of his Lacerta Beam sabers.

"I am, what I am Rau, there is nothing else t ome besides my own strengths." he called out, as he made sure Rau had no more attention to the Salvation Gundam. However Rau, had his beam saber emerge slicing half of an engine of Kira's Meteor unit. Kira deattached from the unit before it was detonated.

"This is the inevitable end!" Rau yelled, as his saber connected to both of Kira's. However, unknown to Rau, Salvation came in, with one of its sabers equipped. "Hmhm, well well, she wont do what you hope Kira!" he called, as his DRAGOON units, that were on his backpack, targeted behind him, and opened fire.

Allenby did not see it much coming, as the Beams pierced through much of the remaining parts of the G-Weapon. The Machine was no longer recognizable as what it once was, as Kira saw it with Horror. The Cockpit was scorched by beams, with not a whole lot left of the machine itself. "Allenby!" Kira called, as he floated over to her machine, Rau felt he should leave it, as he went for the two ships approaching GENESIS.

With that, the Providence went after the Eternal and Kusanagi.

* * *

Inside Jachin Due. The occupants of the mobile suits jumped out, and landed on the catwalk. Sam carrying weapons. "Cagalli, Ahmed, Yzak, Athrun, Catch!" he called, throwing them Pindad SS-4 V2 assault rifles. 

"Shiho, stay here, and guard our machines!" Yzak called, as he checked the magazine, and set the gun ready to fire. Shiho nodded, and closed her cockpit.

"Alright, lets go." Athrun told them, as each of them, went deeper into the base.

As in the control room, Ezalia continued to question Zala. "Sir, but this is no longer needed!" she pleaded.

That was when, no one thought could have been heard. As a gunshot was heard within the control room. Many people turned, to see Patrick with a gun held, and Ezalia floating, with blood floating from a wound. As at this time, her sons, Athrun, Cagalli, and Ahmed were moving down the halls, heading for the command center, with the younger former ZAFT soldiers in the lead.

"Is Genesis ready to fire!" he demanded. "Is it ready!" he yelled. No one was able to answer as he was full of shock. "Get out of my way. Those damn Naturals, will pay for everything." he commented, as he began to have the controls of GENESIS to fire, and on a timer.

However, unknown to anyone, Ezalia drew a gun of her own, raising the pistol at Zala. "Lenore, I'm sorry." She whispred, catching Zala's attention. That was when she squeezed the trigger. Outside the hatch to the room, Sam, and Athrun heard the gunshot.

"No." Sam whispered, as he opened the doors hatch. When all they saw, was the shocked faces of many people, while Ezalia Joule, and Patrick Zala floated in the low gravity. "Mom!" Sam and Yzak called in unision, as they dropped their weapons, and went for Ezalia.

"Dad." Athrun called with worry, as he went for his father. However, as they came in, the operaters, all took this moment to leave them all. They knew what kind of danger, the White Devil could be when angered with grief, or just plain anger.

Patrick, looked at his son. "Athrun. . ." he whispred. "Fire GENESIS, its all set." Patrick told him, as his eyes glazed over, with death.

"Dad." he said, almost in tears.

Sam on the other hand, held his mother. "Mom." he whispred, as she looked at him, and smiled a bit.

"Samorei, its. . . Its really you." she said, with sorrowful eyes, as she caressed his face. "I am so happy." she told him.

"Mom, save your strength." he told her, as she turned to Yzak.

"I knew it was you two." she told them, still weak.

"Yzak, radio Shiho, we need to get out of here now!" he told him, and with that, the two began to leave.

"Hey, where are you two. . ." Cagalli began, as Sam said nothing, nor did Yzak.

"Come on, we got to stop this thing." Ahmed told them.

Athrun, began to type furiously on the keyboard, as he looked at the various screens infront of him.

* * *

Outside, the Eternal and the Kusanagi open fire on genesis to no avail. That was when out of nowhere, the Providence began to shoot and destroy several M1's and damaging the Eternal and Kusanagi. "Its a shame, I always like her songs." Rau said talking about Lacus. "But reality is nothing like the world in pop songs!" He called out. 

That was when his mobile suit, was hit from behind by something. That was when he saw a machine infront of him. It was the Earth Forces machine, the Wing Gundam. "Well now, this is interesting." Rau admitted.

* * *

On the Eternal, they receive a signal from the machine that came to their rescue. "An IFF signal?" DaCoasta asked. 

"What?" Waltfeld asked.

"He is hailing us." a soldier called.

That was when, Heero Yui's face, appeared on screen. "_I am the Mercenary Heero Yui. Lacus Clyne, I am here by order of your father._" he called, as Lacus looked at the screen.

"My father?" she asked, as Heero nodded.

"How nice." Raus voice called out. "However, like your popsongs, you to, will end!" he called, as he fired at the Wing, which took it to the shield.

The two machines began to danced around, Heero, was good, better then others would expect, and he was only a Natural. He fired a buster rifle shot, however Rau used his emitters to create a shield to protect himself. "No you don't." Rau told him, as he fired with his DRAGOON units, taking out both arms, and a leg.

"Damn. Mission failed." was all Heero commented on.

* * *

As inside Jachin Due, Athrun reported to the other two. "Damn, the countdown has already begun, and I can't shut it down!" he swore. 

"What do we do now, Earth only has that much time left, to be able to hold life." Ahmed told them.

"Plan B." Athrun told them, as like Sam and Yzak left, all three of them, did the same.

"What do you have planned Athrun?" Ahmed asked.

"What we discussed after the first shot." he told the two of them.

* * *

Jachin Due's Hangar: 

In the hangar, Sam handed his mother to Yzak, as he sat in the Nosferatu. "Mom, just hold on." he told her, as Yzak passed her to him. The cockpit closed, as Yzak jumped off and then went for his Machine.

"Shiho stay here, the others will be back soon." Yzak told her, as the two mobile suits, took off out of the hatch, as did several ZAFT machines, and shuttles went with them.

Sam was moving but was hassled that his mother was on his lap, blood spilling in the cockpit, and floated infront of Sam, do to the Zero Gravity. He had to white his mothers blood off his visor at least once. "Nosferatu, to Archangel, Izumo, Kusanagi, or Eternal, please respond!" Sam called, earning some attention.

"_Sam what is it_?" Kisaka asked.

"I need Medics now, and a clear path for landing!" he called franticly.

His mother looked at her son, and smiled. 'You are a good man my son, you will make a good leader some day.' she thought, as her closing breathes drew close.

* * *

Kira on the otherhand, was angered beyond belief, as his Machine clashed sabers with the Providence. "Well well, it seems some things happened inside Jachin." Rau told Kira. "And now, your friends are going to stop it all." he said forceing Kira away. "I wont let that happen!" he called, heading towards GENESIS, where a M1B, Strike Rouge, and Justice were heading. 

"Damn get back here." Kira called, as he rushed towards his enemy.

* * *

However, Sam was in worst shape, as he came under fire, from GuAIZ units. "Damn it, Get the hell out of my Way!" Sam yelled, as his machine began to charge is Electromagnetic Cannon. However, two shots shreaded both Cannons. "Damn!" he yelled again. That was when, another beam turned his machines right arm to scrap, and then blasted off a leg. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he yelled, as he hit the thrusters. However, a GuAIZ came in, with the Beam Claw penetrating the head. "No." he whispered. 

"I'm sorry." he told his mother.

The GuAIZ's claw shield was raised, ready to go down. However, before it hit, a beam fried the GuAIZ.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!" Yzak came in roaring, as behind his eyes, a navy blue Seed shattered, as he went into a berserker state. That was when the Duel went all out, as it drew both of its beam sabers, and had its Missile Launchers, and Railguns deployed. He had no care for their lives, as he fired a full Salvo of Missiles and Railgun fire. That was when, a beam cannon blasted past him, the origin, was a rapid approaching Archangel class ship, the Dynameis. "Sam, continue, I'll cover you!" Yzak told Sam, as he grabbed one of Sam's phase shift equipped spear.

"You space monsters, wont leave here." Sutherland called, however Yzak under the influence of the SEED raced towards the Archangel class ship. 'Ever since Heliopolis, I wanted to do this.' Yzak thought to himself.

Sam smiled. "Thanks Yzak." And with that, Sam diverted his power to his thrusters, and blasted off towards the Kusanagi.

Yzak on the other hand, held the spear in his hand. "Die Earth Forces SCUM!" he yelled, as he through the spear. Sutherland saw the weapon coming right at him, and without able to say anything, the Bridge's viewport exploded, with the spear going through and through the bridge of the ship. Yzak then shot at the exposed area, starting a reaction within the ship, which tore the Archangel class ship apart, and with it, Yzak's dream of destroying a Legged ship, had just came true.

As he did;

* * *

Rau was approaching Ahmed and the others. "To bad for each of you, your attempt will be invalid." he admitted. He opened fire on the Strike Rouge. 

"Cagalli!" Kira called, as the beam approached her.

The Strike Rouge turned, as did the other Machines. "No, Cagalli!" Ahmed called.

However, the beam did not connect, as the Voyager II arrived, using its Remote weapons to stop the incoming beam. "Banken. . ." Cagalli stuttered as she saw the machine infront of her.

"Continue Cagalli, I'll show him not to mess with my Family." Banken told her. "Only I can." he admitted.

"I. . . Thanks Banken." she told him. "I owe you. . ." she began.

"Nothing, were even now." he told her, as he got his beam saber ready.

"So, the other prodigy that Hibiki created. This should prove interesting." Rau told himself, as he saw the variation of his DRAGOON system. "So, you were the one that got to the data, impressive." he admitted.

Banken sneered at Rau, as the two machines were hovering infront of each other, as Banken, and Rau could sense something. Rau dodged in time, before he could get hit, by the Freedom Gundam. "So now both of them are here." he said, as the Freedom and Voyager, were not very far, from floating side by side.

"Kira, are you. . ." he began, as he saw that Kira did not look like himself. Cagalli, Athrun, and Ahmed flew to GENESIS, as Athrun used his Fatum unit, to blast open a hole for him to fly through.

Ahmed stopped, as he stayed to cover the route of exit. "Athrun, what are you doing!?" Cagalli called, worried for her friend. But then noticed something, side panels opened, as GINNs, GuAIZs and CGUE's appeared from behind them. "He had defenders inside?" she questioned, as she dodged an attack from a GINN and blasted it into nothing, and used a sword of hers, on another. "Athrun!" she called, as she flew after the Justice.

Ahmed turned around, as he saw a GuAIZ go right past him. "Damn get back here." he called, as his machine changed direction. He moved with ease in the area, as he followed the GuAIZ. Cagalli infront of it, rushing to catch up with Athrun. Unknown to her, the machine had its beam rifle leveled to her. Ahmed, quickly thought of something wreckless, as he saw around him, were steal beams. He diverted all power to his thrusters, and with that, he almost instantly caught up with the GuAIZ. "Not today!" he called. Cagalli turned to see what Ahmed ment, as she saw his machine grab the back of the mobile suit.

"Ahmed!" she called, and with that, the M1B thrusted upwards, with the mobile suit in its hands. Within moments, the GuAIZ crashed into the steal beam. "No, AHMED!" she called as the fireworks of the explosion messed with what she was able to see.

However, to Ahmed, he turned to his right, as his machines wings sparked across the ceiling. The M1B emerged from the smoke, as Ahmed turned. "Wow, that was close." he wheezed.

"AHMED!" Cagalli yelled. "You Idiot!" she called again.

"Cagalli, save it for later, Athrun needs Us." he told her, and with that, the machines went to follow the Justice.

* * *

Outside, Kira was protected by four remote weapons, deflecting the beams from the Providence's attacks. "Rau, do you believe you can beat the both of us?" Banken called out, as he came rushing in mobile armor form. Their fight, was getting them close to being infront of GENESIS. 

"Ahh Mr. Hibiki, have you ever try to fight me, remember, you lost to Samorei, do to your overconfidence." Rau told him, as the Providence came in, slashing off Voyager's right arm. His DRAGOONs were keeping Kira busy. "You both are the ones responsible for this!" he shouted. "It's your fault for all this!" he called.

Kira tried for Rau with his beam sabers, but the Providence dodged the attack. "You're crazy! And so's your logic!" he began to use one to deflect the beams, an another to block. He got lucky with one, as a deflected shot, destroyed the unit. One of Rau's emitters, snuck up behind Banken's and destroyed it. Even with this combat, Rau was proving to be more then an annoying fly to the two coordinators.

With a heafty amount of DRAGOON's left, Rau kept the two machines from gaining an advantage on him. He fired all his weapons, even from his twin barrle beam gun on his left arm, and Beam Rifle on the machines. Within moments, beams crossed with the Providence and Freedom, while Three emitters fired destroying the head of the Voyager. The machine taken out of the fight. "People never really change do the Kira?" Creuset proclaimed, as a pair of DRAGOONs destroyed the left leg of the Freedom. Kira used his two Plasma cannons to return the favor. "This is their Destiny!, They led us to the Inevitable end!" he called out.

As with that, in the Kusanagi the damaged Nosferatu opened, however Sam was crying within his helmet, as the Medics saw why, with Ezalia dead in his arms. Kira destroyed another Emitter. "You don't understand anything Le Creuset!" he called out. "People aren't like that at all!" he called.

"Oh really Kira, not after all you have seen!" he called out. With that, several of his DRAGOONs went infront of him. With the beams, the Freedom lost its head, however Kira deploy his weapons, which destroyed the Providence's left arm. Rau counted firing his rifle destroying the right arm of the Freedom.

* * *

Inside GENESIS, Athrun was finishing up the countdown. Outside, The Justice floated over undetonated Nuclear warheads, which with a shockwave, would go supercritical, destroying the weapon from within. He jumped, as Cagalli grabbed ahold of him, and brought him within the Strike Rouge. "Lets go." Ahmed called to them, and with that, the two mobile suits went at maximum thrust towards the way they came. The two mobile suits got out of the weapon, as Kira drew his blade, and connected his sabers. 

"This is still a world I want to protect!" he called, as the Freedom thrusted right for the Providence. "No more!" he called, as with one strike, destroyed the Providence's remaining arm, and then the next, his beam saber went into the cockpit, and emerged onto the other side.

That was when GENESIS began to fire once again. Kira blasted out of the direct path, as the gamma rays fired, turning the Providence, and the remains of Creuset to atoms. However, he did not expect what was next. As Jachin Due Self Destructed, the Justice detonated, and with shockwaves from its own explosion, set of hundreds of nuclearwarheads beside it. In a brilliant explosion, GENESIS was no more, as many people watched it, as the AMATU grabbed ahold of the remains of the Salvation Gundam.

* * *

In the Kusanagi, Yzak's right hand was shaking as he went to touch his mother as she layed lifeless on a stretcher. A tearm fell down his right cheek, as Samorei not far from him, punched the wall, several times in anger. 

Outside, they watched, as ground zero stopped, Earth Forces ships watched as the superweapon was destroyed. Glaeser, one of the two remaining Archangel class ships was still standing tall.

Mobile suits stopped fighting, and in a way began a cease fire. The Strike Rouge, and Sandstorm floated in space, both equaled in damage, as they floated, they searched. They passed Mina who was taking the Salvation Gundam, while Ahmed, Cagalli, and Cagalli's Passenger searched for one person in common. Both Machines with their cockpits wide open. "kira." Cagalli said with Tears, as she was crying.

"Cagalli, trust me, Kira is out here." Ahmed radioed, as his Machine came infront of them. It no longer had a left arm, and had half a arm for its right. Its weapons were melted away, not able to be used for a long while now. That was when Athrun saw something.

"Birdy?" he questioned, as he saw it. The bird must of came from the Archangel's battered hull. He looked at Cagalli, and the two mobile suits followed the mechanical bird.

* * *

Kira Yamato drifted in space, near the battered and broken ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, out of which the explosion had spat him. He was only now regaining consciousness, with a sense that all was not right in the universe. There was an empty feeling in his mind, unlike anything he'd ever felt before. "Allenby." he cried a bit. 

:_Kira, don't worry:_ Came a familiar voice to him.

"Who's there?" he asked.

:_Kira, this is your world now.: _The voice told him. As he saw birdy fly over him.

"Birdy?" he asked wondering if it was Birdy that spoke to him, as he pushed the thought out of the way, as he then noticed the Strike Rouge, with Cagalli, and Athrun coming towards him, both with tears of joy in their eyes. "She's right, its our world now." he said with a smile.

Twenty minutes later:

Kira Athrun, Cagalli, and Ahmed touched down onboard the Eternal, as Kira was taken to the Infirmary, for being close to the final blast of GENESIS. As soon, as he entered, he saw Allenby, smiling, but bandaged up. "Allenby!" he said surprised.

"You really thought, that be the end of me?" she asked him, as he smiled at what she said, as everyone around him nodded.

"This is what our world is." he told them, with a smile.

* * *

A/N: 

The Final battle is over, so is this story, however here is a small thing. The Next story is about to begin. NEXT TIME: Gundam SEED: Independence

Please Leave a Review, tell me what you thought of this story, the first of a 4 story series. Also, if yeahs wish to see some of the Original Mobile suits located in this story, here are a few!

Go to the Forums of mine, and go to Mobile Suit pictures, there, You can find various pictures of the Mobile suits that were created taking place in my story.


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